Safety From a Distance
by PrincessLesse
Summary: Safety is found standing in the furthest corner, in the room furthest away from that person. But, within that person, you've found something safety can't find. Love. Chapter 14 added 6-2-04
1. Not a Rose, Not a Dame

Standard Disclaimers apply; no copyright infringement intended. All recognized here is forevermore J. K. Rowling's. Characters or scenes not recognized are mine.

Safety From a Distance

Prologue

© PrincessLesse 2002

I watched her. Stared at her. She was different. I couldn't explain it; there was just something about her. The way she walked, the way she pursed her lips, the way she would try to stare off into space, only to come back to reality in horror to realize that she missed some assignment. She never knows that I watch her, see her smile, chat with others, and walk past me with only a little wave.

Oh sure, she knows who I am, and we've talked to each other on several occasions. We're Prefects, of course we talk. She's quite funny and witty, too. I remember the first time I spoke to her; it was at the table, after I got sorted.

"Congratulations," she'd said to me.

"What for?" I responded, with the mind and intellect less than that of my eleven years.

"For making it into this house, silly!" she smiled at me and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Well, you're a first year, too. I don't get it, why are you congratulating me?" I asked again, I'm sure with a dumbfounded expression on my face.

She looked exasperated, and she blew air quickly out of her lips. Then she smiled tiredly at me and said, "I heard you talking in line. You said that you really wanted to be in this house. You and you're friend. I didn't mean to listen in, but you're so loud. I just wanted to say congratulations for making it in."

I stared at her, I'm sure drool was dribbling down my chin. Girls were just starting to appeal to me at this age. I mean I was still unsure of the fact that there may be cooties under all the hair and such, but I was preoccupied with the way she was looking at me. Another thing I loved about her was the fact that when you were speaking to her, she'd talk to you and look at you as if you were the most important thing. It made you feel as if you really had something important to say, and no matter what, she'd listen to you.

"Oh. Um—er—thanks, I guess." I was still staring at her, I'm sure. I grinned, and she smiled back. She spoke to me again, after we traded smiles.

"You're welcome, I'm sure it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lily Evans, by the way."

And that was when I knew her name. Because, I know you don't pay attention to those going before you or after you unless you've met someone, you know them, and you're hoping they're in the same house as you.

"James Potter," I said simply.

She smiled once more at me and said, "Nice to meet you, James Potter."

Now, I can recall all the occasions I've spoken with her. I remember them vividly in my mind, hoping that she remembers them, too. I know that she doesn't, she's no reason to cherish them like I do. The reason why I am so infatuated with her? Well, I remember this one time; I was having a hard time with Sirius.

This was about two years ago, in fourth year. There was this dame I was after, and quite a looker that she was. She had these gorgeous blue eyes, strawberry-blonde hair, and she was a head shorter than me. I like girls shorter than me, just because I can stare down at them and rest my head on theirs'. If you didn't know, I'm a pretty tall fellow.

Anyhow, I was after this dame, and I ended up telling Sirius. You see, Sirius happens to be a hormone crazed fool, and he said to me, "Oh her? I'm dating her now. You can have her when I'm finished."

Now don't get the wrong idea, I'm not saying that I'm a dog and was chasing after Sirius. Au contraire, Sirius is actually the dog, but the girl was flirting with me just that morning. I had looked at her before, and thought what a good-looking broad she was. She noticed my stare, and of course, came over. I was fretting over this, because Sirius was going out with her, and the fact that Sirius was going out with her and she was flirting shamelessly with other men!

I was pouting and sulking in the common room during dinner when Lily came in there, an enigmatic smile upon her lips. Once she saw my sad expression and myself, she came over to me and sat down next to me.

I don't know why, but she just sat there and stared at the fire with me. I guess it was the fact it was a comforting presence, or the fact that Lily was really good with other peoples' emotions. I started blabbing my problem.

"Okay, so there is this rose, and she noticed me. But she and Sirius are dating, and I think that she might like me, but she'd go for Sirius instead. But, I don't want to hurt Sirius and my friendship, so I'm not going to pursue it. I just don't know what to do. Do you have any idea what I should do?" I asked her.

I turned to her with hopeful eyes, hoping that the ever-wonderful Lily Evans could tell me what I needed to know.

"You know what, James?" she had said to me. "If a girl can't see what you're worth, then she's not worth your time. If you value your friendship with Sirius, you wouldn't be having this conversation, but as you're only fourteen, it's highly understandable. Sirius would do the same if the situation was switched."

She had pursed her lips after this as she turned to me and stared into my eyes with hers. As if she were trying to get me to see her point.

"You're a good friend, James. Any other would've carried on behind their friend's back and had a nice little tryst with that 'rose' you were speaking of. I'm not sure how it must feel, to be on the outskirts of a relationship you wish you were in, but if you like this girl so much, talk to Sirius about it and talk to her. Try to work something out. If you don't like her as much as you say you do, mull your thoughts over it and think of any reasonable solutions. You're a smart boy, James, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

She smiled that enigmatic smile of hers again, and waited for me to respond. I smiled charmingly at her and said, "Of course. That makes perfect sense. If I didn't tell you, I did talk to Sirius. I don't think he likes her all that much. But, she isn't important enough to ruin a friendship. I think that I'll just let everything play out and see where it goes. Thanks, Lily!"

She had nodded and headed up the staircase. She stopped about midway, to see me staring after her. A light blush had stained my cheeks. I know it did.

"You know, James. I think that Sirius saved a spot for you at dinner. Why don't you head on down, and get what those scavengers haven't devoured."

I grinned, and before she could turn back around, I called out her name.

"Lily!"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Would you like to accompany me to the Great Hall, I'm afraid I might get lost if I don't have a pretty guide," I said to her, waggling my eyebrows.

"Oh, so you'd get lost with an ugly guide then?" she asked me inquisitively.

I chuckled and said, "Well, no, but it's a bonus to have someone pretty ahead of me. I'm sure that you have a nice bum, too."

She laughed at me, and headed back down the stairs. She stared up at me, almost my height then. She was rather tall, and she reached my chin. She had the perfect view of my mouth, I'm sure.

"Well, Sir James, I guess that I'll have to be your guide. But only if I can stand beside you, because I don't want anyone looking at my bum."

I grinned at her, and I circled her as she stood there, her lips pursed and her arms crossed.

"Are you sure, you have such a lovely bum!" I circled her once again to show my approval.

"It doesn't matter, Mr. Potter, because I'm very fond of my bum, and it needs no recognition except from myself. You see, Mr. James Potter, we should be heading to dinner now, so chop-chop!" She said clapping her hands.

I laughed, and linked my arm with hers as I pulled us out of the portrait hole and down the hall.

You see, that was the time I'm sure I remember when I realized I liked this girl, this Lily Evans. She wasn't a rose, she wasn't a dame, she wasn't a bird, and she most definitely wasn't any slur that I could think of. She was absolutely perfect. I could literally go on about her for hours on end, but that would be quite sad of me.

At that time, in fourth year, in my fourteenth year of age, I had realized that I liked a girl that didn't have a busty chest, the ideal look for girls, and she wasn't stick thin. She was fit, not skinny. Don't get me wrong, she's slender and slight, but she got meat on her bones!

I can't say that I'm in love with her, more as if 'in like'. Because, I know her, but I don't know her well enough to say that I love her. I know that it'd be easy to see me with her, because I'm more practical, now that I'm sixteen. Even though the age may not seem it, but when you grow up and live the better years of your life in Hogwarts, you learn much more, much, much more than you do if you were ordinary. Even ordinary for a witch or wizard.

Now that I'm in sixth year, that I'm in running for Head Boy, that Lily is in running for Head Girl, I'm sad that I couldn't have made the past five years more eventful. I feel as if I've wasted them, because I realized it in first year, when I talked with her that very first time. I truly realized it in fourth year. When cooties were so far gone, that I was sure that I would be a man soon.

What I'm truly sad about is, that I didn't pursue Lily Evans like I had every other girl that I wanted. A girl I wanted, a girl I'd get. Call me conceited, but they liked me just the same. I was a fairly decent guy; I've even heard girls call me a "dish". Sirius and I, we were known as the flirts in our group. And, that was too bad, because it didn't tarnish me except in one very sad way. In that one way, and her name happened to be Lily Evans.

I knew the kind of guys she liked, and I wasn't her kind. I'm a smart person, very intellectual, but more or less, immature. I knew she liked me fine as a friend, but as boyfriend material, I was on the bottom of her list. She put me on the bottom of her list with Sirius. Sirius ruined my chances and his as well.

I remember Sirius had dated a friend of Lily's. Well, that was a good friend of Lily's. Sirius broke up with her, even though he told her it wasn't working. Her friend understood, but she must've shed some tears. Lily had come up to Sirius at lunch in the Great Hall. She stared at him, a bit of contempt in her eyes.

"I don't appreciate womanizers, Sirius Black. I don't appreciate the fact that you play with peoples' hearts. One day, your heart will be trampled upon, and I will still have so much scorn for you to laugh."

She stalked off after that, her lips pursed. I turned to Sirius, who was staring after her. His mouth was in a grin, but there was shock in his eyes.

"Padfoot?" I inquired into his thoughts hesitantly.

"You know what, Prongs? I think that I might like her. I told her friend it wasn't working, because I honestly didn't want to hurt her. I was developing feelings for someone else. It just happened to be her."

I felt my blood boil, and I stared at him with hard eyes. He wasn't looking at me, but rather after Lily.

"Sometimes, I think that she knows too much for her own good, Prongsy. To laugh at my unfortunate episodes and yet still scorn me."

Since I wasn't one to stay mad at any of the Marauders for very long, I grinned slightly.

"Padfoot, my friend, you're an idiot." I had smiled after my comment as we stood and proceeded to class.

Now, that I sit here and wallow in my self-pity, I can only be sad because we are nothing more than friends. Not even great friends, more like acquaintances. That and that alone. I'll never be anything more to Lily Evans than an acquaintance. How sickening to me, how terrible for me, and how lucky for anyone else. Because I know I'd be a worthy adversary competing for the heart of Lily Evans. And I know I'd win. That's just me; I wouldn't stop until I knew she was mine.

Wallowing in self-pity won't help me. I need to get up and get on with my life. But, how can you get someone like Lily Evans out of your head? She's beautiful in her own way, she's her own person, and she doesn't flaunt herself to me or to her boyfriends. She's just her, Lily Evans. And that's what I like about her. She is she and no one else.

Little does she know that I'd change my whole persona just to have a standing chance with her. For one date, I'd change everything about me. But, I couldn't do that, because she'd fall in love with a James I couldn't be. I just have to stay away, and accept the fact I can only stand at a distance, because any closer would ruin our acquaintanceship and the little of our friendship.


	2. A Good Pair

Disclaimer: See previous chapter. Hence, the prologue.

**Safety From a Distance**

Chapter 1

© PrincessLesse 2002

"Hey, Jamesie-boy! Why so down and blue? You know, you need a clue! Today is a day for flowers and daisies, and not because we're lazy. But because we're chums, and we like to run! Frolic and laugh, prance and sing, because today is a day for wondrous things!" Sirius sang to me as he came into the Great Hall.

Why does my best pal have to be abnormal and a bit on the "funny" side? Well, he isn't "funny" in that kind of "funny". But "funny" in the "Haha! Look at me, I'm crazy!" kind of funny. Yet,

I'm a bit of a nutter, as I'm here still gaping at my cereal. What nice cereal it is, too.

"Prongsy! I was SINGING to you! Would you like for me to sing it louder? I will. HEY, JAMESIE-BOY! WHY--" I yanked Sirius down before he could sing anything else. Bumbling buffoon.

"You know, James, you could've kindly asked if I would cease from singing. But no, that's too good for the all-wonderful James Potter." He smiled at me, to show me he's joking.

I rolled my eyes as I grinned at him, and threw a piece of toast on his plate.

"Why don't you eat something? It'll do good for what's lacking in the thinking area."

"Hey, my testicles are in right shape, thank you very much!" Sirius told me good-naturedly.

I stared at him, before I burst out laughing, and then he started laughing, too. He nudged me with his elbow as he said, "Don't you know that I'm the balls of this foundation? You know good and well if you Marauders didn't have me, you'd be lost. Sad. Forsaken!"

"What are you going on about, Padfoot?" Moony asks him as he walked up, Wormtail in tow.

"He's stupid, that's what. What do you think that dingbat goes on about all the time? He never stops talking about himself. 'Why? Me? I'm the best looking male in all of Hogwarts!'" Peter, or rather Wormtail, mimicked Sirius in a high falsetto.

I snorted into my milk as Sirius stood. He towered over dear Peter and said, "I do NOT speak in that high of a pitch!"

The three of us stared at our dear Sirius, as we couldn't hold it in any longer. We burst out laughing, because, poor Sirius, he just squeaked.

"Oh, reALly?" Remus--Moony--said, squeaking in the middle of the word.

"I don't need this kind of torture. I have real friends over here. Don't I, Savannah?" Sirius asked the girl sitting next to him. She turned to him, her black hair hitting him in the face. She grinned slightly at him, and wouldn't you know it, she laughed.

"Serves you right, Mr. Black. I think that you'd get better treatment from them than from I."

I laughed, but promptly shut up when he looked at me. Then he sighed and turned back around to us.

"I guess I'm stuck with you blokes then. Say, how about we head off to Hogsmeade today?" Sirius suggested. Really, the boy has nothing better to do.

"Sorry, no can do. I've got a tutoring session after school," Wormtail said nonchalantly. Sirius and I pick up quickly though, and we leaned in.

"Oh? A lucky lady, Wormtail? Is she leggy? Come on, you can tell us!" Sirius--more-or-less--demanded of Peter. I--on the other hand--take the less demanding approach. I used reverse psychology to coax it out of him.

"It doesn't matter, Padfoot," I said offhandedly to Sirius. "We've probably dated her anyhow."

This boiled Peter, I could tell, because all of a sudden he just burst out, "You have not dated her! And it IS a tutoring session, you stupid gits!"

I laughed, and Peter scowled at me and he said, "I know you haven't dated her, because she doesn't like you mates. You, my friends, are womanizers. She said it herself. Lily Evans has definitely not dated you."

I choked up at this, and then I forced a weak smile.

"Oh, womanizers are we? I wonder why she thinks that. Sirius, do you know why she thinks that?" I turned to him, expecting him to answer. Of course, his eyes glazed over, said quietly, "Say, Wormtail, ol' buddy. What kind of tutoring are you getting?"

Peter narrowed his eyes and he said, "Why does it matter? None of you can come with me because you'll distract me! The professor is already disappointed in me. I need to improve! Improve I tell you!"

I grinned and told him, "No worries. We won't go with you, Remmy here will!" 

Remus jerked up from the book he was reading, and he looked at us with wide eyes. "What are you on about? I do well in Charms, I need no help!"

"Hey? Did Peter say Charms, James? I don't think he did! Oh, so you were in on this?! Shame on you, Moony, leaving us out when we were bringing you in! I'm hurt. Really I am. It's a shame, because I was considering on giving you some chocolate."

I laughed as Moony's face paled. He stared pitifully at Sirius, pulling the puppy dog eyes. Very pathetic they were.

"Ch-chocolate. Sirius, mate, you wouldn't do that to a bloke like me, would you? I have an ailment, you wouldn't want to make me worse, now would you?"

Sirius stuck his nose up snottily, and had his arms crossed. He sighed, as if he were contemplating a great decision. "I don't know, Moony. It is Honeydukes' chocolate. I shan't be the same if I were to give it up. It grieves me so, that I can't share it with you."

I started chuckling as Remus' eyes became wide. He was pretty good at the puppy dog eyes, the pitiful 'I'm too sad and perfectly innocent' look. Too bad that Sirius was exceptional at it, too.

"Now, now, Moony. You know those eyes won't work on me. I _am_ the absolute best at them. Here. Now watch and learn. Lily!"

I turned to watch as Lily turned towards us. I inhale a sharp breath as she turned and smiled at Sirius. She was blinking her bright, beautiful eyes—eyes that I wished were only for me.

"What?" 

Sirius pulled the eyes on her. I watched her own eyes, those beautiful, green eyes of hers, soften and she crinkled out one of her 'special' smiles.

"Oh, Sirius. What do you want now?" she chuckled as she fully turned around and gave him her complete attention. Why didn't I think of that? I'm pretty good at the eye thing. I could do it, really!

"Well, Lily, how about you, me, and a bottle of butterbeer?" Sirius asked, putting the puppy dog eyes into full effect. If this works, I'm stealing it. 

"Sirius, didn't Peter tell you? I'm tutoring him tonight. Maybe some other time."

How can she be so nice and so brutal at the same time? I turned to stare at Sirius; he must've been thinking the same thing. He looked slightly putout. Sorry, pal, I feel no sympathy. With you thinking Lily Evans was a catch, I hold nothing back.

"Ha! See? I told you!" Peter said. He grinned at me and winked. He was probably the only one who knew my little 'infatuation' with Lily. He overheard me whispering to myself. Why, oh why, must I talk to myself? It's really a sign of insanity. I'm insane.

"Well, lads, I'm off! Anyone care to join me?" I stood and grabbed my bag. Sirius was still sitting in his seat, just now deciding he was going to eat that toast. He turned to me, his mouth full of bread, "Sorry, mate. I'm famished. I'll catch up."

I turned to look at Peter, but he was touching up on an essay. "I forgot to write the last metre last night. S'rry, I'll be there soon, though." I nodded. I turned to my last beacon of shining hope. Remus.

"Well, Moony, what do you say?" He turned to look up at me, and immediately I groaned. He pulled the puppy dog eyes.

"It's okay, Moony. I'm a big boy, I can walk on my own." He smiles at me in response, as he goes back to finishing his essay. 

"But, you'll get lost if you don't have a pretty guide, Mr. Potter."

I turned around, and I swear my heart was doing flip-flops in my stomach. Dare I dream? It's the flower herself.

"Well, I'm sure I can find my way. It'll be much easier though with a pretty guide." I grinned charmingly at her. She smiled at me, as she picked up her books and threw her bag over her shoulders. 

"But, Mr. Potter, I'm not that pretty, are you sure that you won't get lost with me as a guide?"

I tried not to stand and gape. I sucked it in though, as I said, "What are you talking about? I have the prettiest redhead leading me to class! How could I ever get lost?!"

"James, I'm the only redhead," she said tartly.

"Exactly my point, Lily Evans. Because if they were to make any more redheads, there would be an overriding of beautiful people. And one infinitely beautiful girl is enough. These young men here can't take it. But I am different. Send all your beauty at me, Lily Evans. I can take it!"

I stood there, squeezing my fists and closing my eyes tightly. I looked as if I were ready to take a blow to the stomach. But, I'm positive it was a blow to the heart. 

"James?"

"Yes?" I say, opening one eye.

"Shut up."

"Okay," I said cheerfully. I grabbed her books out of her hand, as I whistled, and walked by her side. We have Transfiguration classes first.

"James? May I ask as to why you're getting here so early?" I turned to look at her, and she was smiling. She was doing it again. Staring at me as if I were the most important person in the world. 

"Well, I wasn't anticipating this, but it's a bonus. A walk to my favourite class with my favourite girl."

She smacked me on my arm, and I shook my head at her, "Tsk. Now, now, you wouldn't want me to drop these books, now would you?" She rolled her eyes as she indicated for me to continue.

"Professor McGonagall asked me to come early today. And no, I've no idea what for."

She pursed her lips at me, and then she smiled. Goodness, how I love to see her do those, especially at me. But, sadly no, I won't tell her that I do. Maybe I would jokingly, but not seriously. Never seriously, because then she may figure me out.

"James, my boy, you shouldn't be such a smart-ass. I may like you if you do that." She grinned at me as we continued down the hall.

If only words spoken in witticism were true. But, no. Not for me, not for James Potter.

"You know, James, I think that the song that Sirius sang for you this morning may repeat itself if you keep looking so gloomy."

I smiled, and I said to her, "The song won't work. Because I'd be forced to take drastic measures to make you shut up."

"Oh, and what would those 'drastic measures' be?"

I gulped as she arched one of her delicate eyebrows. Don't do that. It's bad for me, didn't you know that, Lily Evans?

"Oh. Well, I don't know if I should tell you, because what if one day I wanted to quit your rambling, and that was my only way to stop you? You'd know!"

She chuckled as we were standing in front of the entrance to the Transfiguration classroom.

I don't know if I ever told you, but Lily Evans is exceptional at those puppy dog eyes. It's a shame she had to pull them on me. Very tempting they are, so I had to tell her what my secret was.

"Well, it's top-secret. So be sure not to tell anyone. Lily, for me to make you shut up, I'd have to--kiss you!" I said this in a whisper, as if I were really telling some great secret.

Not that it's a secret to myself, and now it isn't a secret to Lily. She now knows I'd kiss her. But, I don't think she believes me.

The look on her face was of barely contained laughter. She finally let it out, and grabbed onto my arm as she pulled me into the classroom. I sighed, there's no reason to tell her I'm not joking. It'd ruin our acquaintanceship.

"Professor, I'm here!" I said as I handed Lily her books. 

Lily smiled, as she sat down at a desk and waited for the Professor.

Professor McGonagall came out from in her supply closet. 

"Why, hello, James, Lily. Thank you, James, for coming. Ms. Evans, is there a reason you're here?" Professor McGonagall asked, her mood switching as she continued talking.

"I decided I'd accompany James to class, Professor," Lily says charmingly.

"Well, it turns out nicely for me, then. Ms. Evans, help Mr. Potter here set out the furniture. We're turning the assorted pieces of furniture into animals. Now, I'd also like for you to put a vial of this on their desks. It's not anything important, but it'll help them turn the furniture into animals that best reflects the spell caster."

I'm positive my eyebrows shot up to my hairline. That was something we didn't usually do in Transfiguration. She noticed my look, and asked me a question in a slightly disapproving tone.

"Mr. Potter? Do you have a question?"

"Yes, Professor, I was wondering why you're using a potion?" I stared at her, giving her my best

'I'm just curious!' look.

"Well, Professor Johnston decided to help me. He said that this would be 'interesting and unusual' to have the students do this."

Lily looked at me, and then she grinned.

"Professor Johnston wasn't going to be here for Potions, was he?"

I choked back a laugh as Professor McGonagall looked very miffed. She gave Lily one of her downsizing glares. This didn't affect Lily in the least. She stared at Professor McGonagall with one of her own looks. The one that made you see the error of your ways, whether or not you be wrong.

"Ms. Evans, I'm afraid that, yes, Professor Johnston won't be here. His wife is having a baby and well, he asked me to give you the potion. He altered it a bit. It was supposed to make you turn the next thing you touch into that animal. Instead, it's what you transfigure."

I grinned; I already knew what my animal would be. I've been an Animagus for quite a while now. I'm positive that my animal would be a stag. Hence my name, Prongs.

"Oh, well that's wonderful for him! I hope everything goes well!" Lily, ever the caring one, said this to Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall's face softened as she smiled at Lily.

"Yes, I do hope so, too. Now, you two get to work!"

She walked back into her supply closet.

I grinned at Lily, and gave her a wink when we both turned around. She smiled at me, as she put an arm around my shoulder. I stiffened, but I had relaxed immediately. She didn't seem to notice, though.

"We make a pretty good team, James Potter. I think that we should both be the Head students next year, what do you say?"

I could only nod as she grinned at me once more, and went to put the potion on a desk, and levitated the furniture next to it. I can only stare at you, Lily Evans. Because, little do you know, we'd make a good pair no matter what we were. No matter what.


	3. Courting One Another

Disclaimer: See previous chapter. Hence, the first chapter.

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 2

©PrincessLesse

"…and students, be aware that this is only from fourth year up. Only an older student may invite the years that are younger. Cheers! As for you young lot, that night of the Halloween Ball, I'll have a designated trip to Hogsmeade, especially for you."

I noticed that my younger peers were cheering, but were slightly putout. I guess they were wondering why they couldn't attend the ball. I glanced at Sirius, who was smiling smugly at all of the girls looking our way. Remus and Peter were talking together about something or another. I—on the other hand—was just now joining everyone. I dazed out at the beginning of Professor Dumbledore's speech.

"So, Jamesie-boy, whom do you propose you are taking to the ball?"

I turned to look at Sirius. He was ogling some Ravenclaw. I grinned at him, and then I turned around. I stared at Peter, who was grinning at me. I groaned immediately, and he said rather quietly, so only that I could hear him.

"I know who you want to take, Prongs!"

"Don't remind me. I know that you do. It's sad, I was hoping on keeping that one to myself."

Peter laughed at my unfortunate problem, but he patted me on the back.

"Well, why don't you just get a good-looking broad to get your mind off of distractions. We wouldn't want our lovely, ickle, Jamesie to get side-tracked, now would we?"

Peter fluttered his eyelashes at me, and I swatted him off.

"Oh sod off, Wormtail," I said laughingly. He laughed as well as he poked a tongue at me.

The food appeared on our plates, and we decided that talk of the ball should be for after dinner. We were too hungry to think of anything else. I piled my golden plate with everything I could think of, and I was delighted that my pumpkin juice was very much chilled.

After we had finished eating, Dumbledore made an announcement that we could stay in the Great Hall for a few "magic minutes" he had said. I was hoping that was true. I smiled as I saw Peter stand up and start walking off from the Gryffindor table. I knew what Peter had in mind.

I watched him walk over to the Hufflepuff table, and looked at a fifth year. I laughed, as I watched him wriggle his eyebrows suggestively. He then offered his arm to this strawberry blonde, and she giggled and took his arm. I laughed once more as he stood her up, and brought her over to us.

"Guys, this is my date. Isabelle Watkins. Isabelle, have you met these disgustingly charming young men?"

I grinned at her as she giggled, "I'm afraid not. Well, except Sirius there. Sirius and I went to Hogsmeade once."

I watched as Peter frowned in Sirius' general direction. Padfoot looked a bit sheepish, so I intervened before a fight could erupt.

"Why, you went to Hogsmeade with Sirius when you could've went with Peter? My, you _must_ feel mortified. I'm sure Peter will make it up, he's quite charming. You'll just have to mind his feet. They're both left, they are!"

She giggled at me, before Peter threw a roll at me. He must be better at charms that I thought. I glanced meaningfully at the redhead down at the other end of the table, and I sighed. At least no one asked her yet, well hopefully no one asked her yet. I might do that. I'm in Gryffindor! I'm brave.

"Well, lads, I'm afraid that Miss Isabelle deserves to be with better company. So I'm off to escort her all the way across the hall, to the Hufflepuff table."

I nudged Peter before he left, and I winked. He winked back, as I turned around. I noticed Remus was talking to a seventh year.

I came and sat by him, and he glared at me. I grinned cheekily as I sat down anyhow.

"Well, how do?"

"Pardon?" the girl asked me, her eyes sparkling, reflecting the ceiling of the Great Hall.

"James, you've met Shana Parker, have you not?" Remus asked me, showing his perfect teeth. I guess that must be because of his _ailment_ that helps him with that. Lucky bloke. Well, for the teeth bit.

"No, I've not. Hello, Shana Parker. I'm James Potter. The famously handsome, Gryffindor Chaser. Also the captain."

"Hello, as Remus introduced me, I'm Shana Parker, and yes, Mr. James Potter, the something handsome, Chaser, I knew all of that."

"That's famously handsome, Gryffindor Chaser. And you've forgotten that I'm captain."

"That's too bad, she'll have to remember next time, Prongs, buddy. I'll see you."

"Oh, Remmy, trying to get a little romancing action on are you? Here, let me help. Start out all suave and smooth. Tell her that she's gorgeous—"

"James?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Oh, well sure. Anyhow, nice meeting you Shana Parker. I think Remmy here wants to ask you to the ball. So I'll let you get to it, then."

I left, a glare on my back. I heard giggling though, so I knew that everything was okay. I decided that this was the time I should be the brave Gryffindor that I am. I made my way down to the end of the table, and there she was. Sitting primly, and she was chatting with a few of her girlfriends. I made my way to sit by her.

"Well, hello, Lily Evans. How do today?"

"Why, good evening, James Potter. Tres bien, merci. Et toi?"

I stared at her, and she chortled at me. She pursed her lips as she stared into my eyes. I don't know if I've ever stated this, but Lily Evans has wonderful eyes. I'm afraid they are bright and sparkly, and they should not be unleashed to the world. Not when I'm hoping they could belong to me.

"It means, very good, thank you. And you? It's French, James," she told me dryly.

She chuckles as realization dawned on my face. French! Of course. Well, that's Remmy's expertise, not mine.

"Well, fairest Lily, I've a favour to ask you. Would you do me the honour of—"

"Why, James! Are you asking me to marry you?!" She interjected. She and her friends were laughing at my expense. My ears turned red, but I adjusted my glasses and grinned with her.

"If you want, I can ask you to marry me! What do you say? I personally can't wait for the wedding night and then the honeymoon." I wink suggestively at her, and her mouth opens in mock repulsion, but I could see the smile threatening to break out upon her face.

"James Potter!"

"Hey, I told you I had to have the redhead. As you're the only one."

I laughed as she rolled her eyes at me. She knew she couldn't get out of this one, she did start it.

"What was your original intention, James? Before you had to get sidetracked."

"Ah, but you, darling, had sidetracked me; therefore, tricking me into sidetracking, and getting onto a whole another topic all together!"

I grinned throughout my incoherent babble. She seemingly understood me, or was pretending to, because she was looking at me. With those eyes that made me feel giddy, and that stare as if I were the important one. Not her.

"Okay. My original intention was that I'd love for you to do me the honour of escorting me to the ball. I'd have the loveliest head of red hair there!"

She glanced at me, and I saw her eyes soften. But, they were more in pity. So I said and tried to save myself before she could get a word out, "Oh, but if thy fairest is already escorting another to the ball, because they saw how wonderful your red hair was, than I'll understand. But, as a forewarning, you were the first to reject me!" 

I mock sniffled, and I turned around, to bury myself in my sobs. Fake, mind you, they were fake.

"No, I'm afraid no one has spotted her beautiful red hair but you, James. You're the first to ask her."

I turn around to look at her friend, Illianna, who was grinning. She had black hair, and was known to colour her hair often. Magically, of course.

"Why thank you, dearest Illianna. Now, if Lily rejects me, it's purely because of her distaste for me. I'd understand."

"James, I'm not sure," Lily said to me, biting her bottom lip. I felt something inside of me crumble, and not just because you were biting your lip.

"Then I have a proposition for you. We go as friends. I understand, you think that we do not have a friendship, but I protest! If we don't have one, I want to start one. If we are already friends, then we are going as good friends. And, besides, we'll have to dance with one another anyhow."

She risked a small smile towards me, and my triumphant grin was making its way onto my face. I was making her see reason! Not something that I could normally do, not even with myself. I must really like this Lily Evans if I'm doing this, then.

"You have a point, James. I suppose we could go as friends. Then this'll just continue our friendship. You should know that we are friends. Whatever made you doubt it?"

I swear, my heart is doing flips in my chest. Lily Evans asked me whatever would make me doubt her! This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship; you just wait and see, Lily Evans.

"Well, the way you'd always tell me, "James, you're nothing more than a man-whore!" I'm aghast, Lily Evans said the word 'whore!'"

She narrowed her eyes at me as her friends tittered around her. I grinned my grin at her, the one that made every girl—besides Lily—melt at the sight of it.

"James," she started off dryly, "do you sleep around?"

"Yes. I sleep on my bed, and on the couch. And every once in a while, I might take to sleeping on the floor. See? I sleep around everywhere!"

She pursed her lips at me, and then she smiled.

"Like I said before, if you keep being such a smart-ass I might actually like you."

I grinned cheekily, and I nudged her in her side.

"Ooh. That'll make my life much more interesting! The most beautiful redhead liking the lowly James Potter. I'd be in heaven!"

"James Potter. This isn't funny!"

"I happen to think it's funny, but maybe just a smidge. But, I'd like to know why you think I'm a man-whore."

I stare at her, as much as the words were said in jest, they hurt. I'm appalled she'd say the sort, but I guess I take things to heart much more seriously than intended.

"No, no, silly! I don't mean that, you know I was joking. You're just—afraid of commitment. I wouldn't want to be caught in your spell, Mr. Potter, and have you run off and leave me. What about the children, James? What about the children?" She started laughing after she said this. I chortled and decided I might as well respond.

"Lily, I didn't know we had kids! When did this happen? No artificial insemination, I hope. I don't remember being a donor."

Her friends—who weren't Muggle-born—stared at me in shock. I wanted to laugh, but instead I just smiled.

"James, how on earth would you know about artificial insemination?" Lily asked me, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"What IS artificial insemination?" That question being thrown in by some of her friends.

I watched as Lily laughed, and said to them, "It's donating a sperm, and letting a woman who doesn't want to get married and/or is trying to help with a scientific study while get inseminated. That means, they'll take the sperm from the donor—not knowing who it is—and end up getting pregnant by it."

Her friends had drool coming out of the corner of their mouths. They didn't care. Lily, on the other hand, stared at me with green eyes.

"Again, James, how did you know?"

"I take Muggle Studies, of course!" I grin that grin at her, and she giggles. I stare at her, and I ask her on a more serious note.

"Lily, are we going to the ball together?" I must've asked with such hopeful eyes, that her owned softened in response.

"I'd love to go with you, James. Just promise me one thing?"

"What's that?"

"That you won't break my heart."

I stare at her. Was she being earnest? I look in her eyes, and I can see that she is being fairly straight with me. Perhaps Lily Evans was a terribly good actress, and I was playing the fool. But, I'd never break your heart, Lily Evans. Never. Hopefully not unintentionally and never intentionally.

"Why, do you fancy me?"

"Always."

Always, she said. Always. Maybe I do have a standing chance after-all.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"I'm just joking."

"Oh."

Well, dammit. Never mind then. She doesn't mean that. But she grinned anyhow, and pulled me up from my seat. She started walking with me out of the Great Hall, and she did something I wouldn't' have thought that Lily Evans would do.

"Sorry, ladies!" she yelled at the entrance. People turned to stare at her, and she winked at me.

"This chap is taken, and what a wonderful chap he is! James Potter, for those of you who can't see, is going to the ball with me! Good night!"

And we headed out. I'm sure flies were going in and out of my trap. But, I actually did hear a few choruses of 'good nights' from our fellow students. And I was quite happy to hear a few groans as well.

"Now it's official! We're going to the ball. So you best not dump me, James. Because I know where you sleep."

"I know where you sleep."

"And you best not end up there, either."

"Damn!"

I swore half-heartedly. She slapped me lightly on the arm. I grinned, this had to be the best day of my life. Lily Evans, the semi-popular Gryffindor Prefect just told the Great Hall that she was going with me! What a day it is.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you're going with me as a friend. I hope that we can become better friends with this experience."

I stare at her, her being almost eye-level with me now. I was six feet two inches, and she was five feet ten inches.

"Me too." That's the only thing I can say. So to the best day of my life, cheers to you. To Lily Evans, cheers to you. To the Powers That Be, I bow to you. You've just made a dream come true. I'm going to a ball with Lily Evans.


	4. Here For Now

**Safety From a Distance**

Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimers apply.

~*~  
  
The next morning when I awoke, Sirius was in my face, a sly grin upon his lips.  
  


"You dog!"  
  


"Au contraire! You're--"  
  


"I know, I know. I'm the dog. Anyhow, mate, how did you do it? What did you do to deserve such great fortune?"  
  


I blinked. But then a slow smile found it's way onto my face. I wouldn't be able to quit grinning for weeks to come!  
  


"What?" I asked as nonchalant as I could. I turned my head and looked the other way, albeit, still seeing Sirius out of the corner of my eye.  
  


"Prongsy! C'mon, mate! Tell me! I'd like to know what you did, if perhaps it'll work for me!"  
  


My eyes narrowed, and a burning feeling was in my throat. I swallowed, but it was still there.  
  


"Whatever are you talking about?" I asked, thought this time there was more forced nonchalance.  
  


Sirius quirked his eyebrow at me and he grinned.  
  


"Lighten up, Prongsy! I never realized how much you liked Lilith!"  
  


I'm positive I reddened. I could feel the very tips of my ears burning.  
  


"It's all right, Prongsy. It'll be our little secret that you adore Lilith. Well, perhaps I may tell her.  Besides that, I give you a Marauders' Oath!"  
  


I narrowed my eyes as he held up his left hand.  
  


"It's supposed to be your right hand," I told him.  
  


"Oh. Then I'll make a double oath!"  
  


I laughed good-naturedly as he held up both hands. He grinned one of the grins I've seen him use on the professors.  
  


"I guess that may do, except for the whole 'Marauders' Oath' thing. Not exactly adding up there, mate."  
  


Sirius rolled his eyes.  
  


"You're too smart for me, bloke--"  
  


"Everyone's too smart for you, Padfoot," a new voice said. I looked to the door as I saw Remus walk in. He had a towel around his neck and that new shaving cream was on his ears.  
  


  
"Moony, you didn't shave those wonderful sideburns, did you?" Sirius asked, his eyes wide.

"Eh?" Moony responded, an unusual, perplexed expression on his face. I laughed as he immediately felt the sides of his face.  
  


  
"Whatever is that insane babble you are uttering?" Moon asked, a sly grin on his lips.  
  


  
"Remmy, Remmy, Remmy! I just don't know what I'm going to do with you, but before you came, Jamesie here was going to tell me how he got Lilykins to go to the ball with him."  
  


  
I glared at Sirius, but he paid me no mind. He plunged onward.  
  


"Remmy, you're always doing this to me! I was about to make Jamesie confess his undying love fueled by passion for Lilykins!"  
  


I laughed as Remmy rolled his eyes. I quickly shut up when Sirius gave me a devious grin.  
  


"I mean, *you* saw Prongsy's face when Lily shocked the whole of the Great Hall yesterday!"  
  


What Padfoot said bothered me, but this whole deal with the names and putting a 'y' or making an 'ee' sound at the end, I'm not too sure if that's healthy. Although, I am speaking about Sirius.  
  


Boy, did Sirius start something now! I just caught the look on Moony's face!  
  


"Padfoot--although it's paining me to say this--is remarkably correct in his assumptions."  
  


Sirius grinned, and then it clicked. ("Hey!")  
  


Moony and I had a good laugh at Sirius' expense.  
  


"You've never truly spoken nonsense before, Moony, but you're giving me my doubts," I told him, my grin only becoming wider.  
  


"Nonsense? Do you not hear me in class? No--wait! You're either never there or daydreaming. Speaking of--what is it you're thinking about during those periods of goofy grins?"  
  


Sirius perked up at this, and then I knew I backed myself into a corner.  
  


"Where's Wormtail? I've not seen him since yesterday! Where could that rascal be?" I asked.  Nervousness and embarrassment weren't things I felt often. Not many people could make me feel that way.  
  


"Now, don't try to change the subject on us now! Petey-boy is with Professor Sprout, catching up in a subject we just covered. Said something about it being fascinating. Although, it's beyond me how he can find plants so interesting," Padfoot trailed off.  
  


"Actually, some people make a living off plants. Muggles use it in their medicines, and those plants that the Muggles are smoking. They use them as depressants. Er--drugs--marijuana is what it's called," I told them.  
  


"James?" Remus questioned me.  
  


I gave a nervous laugh and Sirius responded with a knowing look on his face, "Muggle Studies."  He proceeded to nod sadly at this as he put his hand on my shoulder.  
  


"It's s'alright, James. I'm sure it's a stage you'll grow out of, eventually."  
  


Remus burst out laughing at the look on Sirius' face, and the (most likely) redness of my cheeks.  He then pretended to clear his throat in an attempt to make me not pay attention to him.  
  


"Listen, James, it's perfectly wonderful that you adore Lily. I absolutely have no chance with her," Sirius told me, I'm sure the memory of the time she told us (or him) we weren't committed in his mind.  
  


"Sirius, mate, s'alright. Perhaps I have a crush; it's nothing beyond that. I swear! Plus, doesn't she label us both the same?" I asked of them both. They merely shrugged their shoulders.  
  


"If that's the case, I'm swearing off everyone, and I'm going to show her I see the errors of my ways. In fact, I'm gong to study right now!"  
  


Remus started laughing. He looked at me, then he said to Sirius, "Oh, that'll be a sight.  I bet a galleon for you to put on James' glasses and carry your books into the library. Go on, do it!"  
  


I chuckled a bit at this, too. Sirius hardly ever did homework, unless it was his shift on doing it.  We usually copied each other's work, and if there was a particular class we didn't like, then we'd take turns doing that class' homework.  
  


Although, Sirius was unnaturally good in Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
  


"Fine. NO! Make it two galleons and I'll do it!" Sirius said.  
  


Remus nodded and handed him a large, gold coin. I complied and gave Padfoot the second.  Padfoot took the glasses off my face and put them on.  
  


It was a bit blurry after this; I had to focus really hard to make out the shapes Sirius was picking up. Of course, they were books.  
  


  
"Moony, as I can't see, snap a picture for me," I told Moony. I could see, but it was starting to get annoying not seeing *clearly*.  
  


  
"Don't worry, this won't last for long," Moony said to me, his voice humorous.  
  


  
"Very funny, He-of-little-faith! I will go in there, study, and keep my two galleons!"  
  


  
I heard them leave, and I made out that the door was closing. I opened and closed my mouth.  I had horrible morning breath. I groped for my wand. When I found it, I cast a spell to make my breath minty fresh. The only bad thing about this was it wasn't as effective as brushing my teeth.  
  


  
I summoned my slacks and I sat down. The pants smacked me in my face when I wasn't expecting them. Damn astigmatism! Oh well. After I slipped into my slacks, I shuffled around the room and finished getting dressed.  
  


  
I walked down the stairs, and I sat on the couch, waiting for Sirius and Remus to get back, or Peter, if he was to finish early with Professor Sprout. Actually, I have no idea how long Peter was with Professor Sprout.  
  


  
My ears perked up. I heard someone coming down the stairs. I assumed I looked a bit different without my glasses, but I turned and looked at the person coming down the stairs. It was Lily, and she sat beside me on the couch.  
  


  
"James, why aren't you wearing your glasses?"  
  


"I felt like exploring the castle with a different outlook today! What about you, why aren't you wearing your glasses?"  
  


"I don't wear glasses, James," Lily told me exasperatedly.  
  


I laughed joyfully as I stood up and grabbed her hands. I pulled her up and asked her a question.  
  


  
"Lily, where were you going?"  
  


  
"I was going to the library. I slept in late, so I'm here all by my lonesome."  
  


"Well, I'm all by my lonesome, as well. Would you accompany me to get something to eat?  I'd be very much honoured if you would."  
  


I saw Lily's head nodding, so I then pushed her in front of me with my hands on her shoulders.  
  


"Lead the way, Lily! I'm a blind bat, and you are my ears. Give me my hearing, so I can make it to the Great Hall without bumping into anything."  
  


"James, you are an idiot. But that's why I like you. Come on, then. Let's go get something to eat."  
  


"We're you going to eat? If you weren't, I'm sure I could make it there on my own, Lily," I told her, turning her to look at me. I focused on her, and I could see her beautiful, green eyes clearly. She smiled at me as she stared at me with those eyes, those eyes that I adored ever so much.  
  


  
"James, I'd be happy to eat with you. I don't mind the fact I don't usually eat breakfast, I'll eat with you anyway!"  
  


  
I grinned, and she put an arm around my shoulder as she lead me out of the common room.  
  


  
"Besides, I should learn to like you if we're going to the ball together!"  
  


  
She started laughing as I glared at her. I grinned the whole way to the Great Hall. Lily definitely made my day, no matter what time it was. She was something all right, and she could joke just like the rest of them. I'm very glad I got enough guts to ask her to the dance with me. I just hope, well, I just hope I can sway her before Sirius does. He's quite the charmer, he is. And I do believe he's frank in wanting to date Lily. Very frank, I'm afraid.  
  


Anyhow, I won't let that ruin my day, because I have Lily by my side for now. She's here for now.


	5. Bugger!

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 4

©PrincessLesse 2003

"Jamesie, why are we having a dance?" Padfoot asked of me while we were sitting in the Common Room. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eyes.  
  
"To put us through unbearable torture. I'm not pleased. Well, that's a lie, I'm very much pleased."  
  
Sirius waggled his eyebrows at me. His grin became devious. "I knew you weren't just having a flame, it's a full-blown fire! For a fiery red-head!"  
  
I narrowed my eyes at him and then rolled them.  
  
"Anyhow, I've no idea why'd Dumbledore would schedule this dance."  
  
"You might know if you went to those Prefect meetings once in a while," Sirius said skeptically.  
  
He wisely let me change the subject.  
  
"Dumbledore probably had some reason or another at wanting to have a dance. I mean, it's been a while, but perhaps it's to keep us here to stay safe," I said vaguely. I did know of the uprising of a wizard who thinks he's more powerful than even Dumbledore. I couldn't quite  
  
remember his name.  
  
As if reading my thoughts, Padfoot said, "That seems plausible. No one is more powerful than Dumbledore. But, I don't see why he'd think anyone would want to go home. I mean, it's not as if we have a break or anything!"  
  
I nodded. I did have a vague idea why, but I wasn't positive.  
  
"Mayhap he thinks that our parents will want to take us out of Hogwarts, for their fear that perhaps it'd be safer if they were with us," I said, voicing my opinion.  
  
Padfoot nodded, then Peter came into the Common Room looking happy.  
  
"Listen, mates, listen to how my drawing ability has gotten me something!"  
  
I glanced at Wormtail, and then I glanced at his right hand. It looked so articulate, and that was a flaw to him, I suppose. His two hands were a bit different from each other.  
  
"Well, what did your artistic ability land you?" Padfoot asked. I've never seen Wormtail grin as much as he did when he was being praised about his talents.  
  
"McGonagall came up and asked me if I'd like to do the backdrop for this dance coming up!"  
  
Padfoot voiced my puzzlement. "Why the bloody hell do we need a backdrop? Not that it's not brilliant you've been recognized, Petey! Really, that's incredible!"  
  
I nodded my enthusiastic agreement. "Yes, truly smashing!"  
  
Peter only grinned the merrier. "Isn't it, though? As for the backdrop bit, she decided we should take pictures! A lot like the Muggles do!"  
  
My face paled and I noticed that Padfoot's did, too.  
  
"P-pictures?" I asked shakily. I *hated* pictures! Peter only grinned that devious grin of his more.  
  
"I know, that's why I've decided we should all look smashing for them, give the ladies a run for their money!"  
  
Padfoot groaned. He was probably thinking along the same lines as me. Either Peter was very vain, or we were too vain and just really didn't want to take pictures. I was going for the latter.  
  
"I hate pictures; they always catch me at my worst! My pictures blink constantly, and then they don't grin. They just make these half-smiles that look completely daft!" Padfoot protested.  
  
"Yours? Unless it's a black and white picture, my glasses shine, and my eyes are so wide! My mum never criticizes me as much except on my pictures. Anyhow, I refuse to smile!" I exclaimed.  
  
"You both are insufferable gits!" Peter said, frustrated. He rolled his eyes at us. I don't see why he cares, anyhow.  
  
"Girls *love* pictures! Especially when they've got to get all dressed up for them! Don't you understand that they'll be so happy it won't matter if you're comfortable?"  
  
Peter did have a point. I mean, girls did love pictures!

"You know, Wormtail? You are incredibly right! Girls love pictures! And if I take these pictures with a grin, she may think I'm dashing!" Padfoot said, then smiled charmingly at me and winked.  
  
"So Prongs, what'd you think Lily would say?"  
  
I grinned. No point in telling them something I've actually no idea about.  
  
"Sod off," I told him jokingly. Padfoot smiled, and then draped an arm around Peter, who started to get that quirky grin on his face.  
  
"Come, Wormtail, let's leave Prongsy to his thoughts. He's being constipated."  
  
Peter started laughing hysterically, and I laughed with him and yet felt indignant.  
  
"The word you're looking for, Padfoot, isn't 'constipated' it's 'contemplative'!" Peter corrected him.  
  
Padfoot looked nonplussed. "Who am I to bother with big words? Anyhow, what does constipated mean?"  
  
Wormtail stopped laughing long enough to tell him that it was when someone couldn't take a shit. Then we both started laughing at his expression.  
  
~*~  
  
When I walked into the Great Hall, I could see that the High Table was missing a couple of its usual occupants. I went to go sit by Remus, who was looking rather sullen.  
  
"What's the matter, Moony?" I asked him when I sat down.  
  
"Samantha," he said simply.  
  
My eyes opened wide. Then I spilled my pumpkin juice in nervousness.  
  
"Bugger!" I swore when I spilled my drink. Then I asked, "Is there something wrong with Sam?" Sam was his sister who had graduated from Hogwarts two years ago.  
  
"No, quite the contrary. She's coming to teach at Hogwarts."  
  
My mouth dropped open. Sam? But that was fantastic! I said so as well.  
  
"No, it's not!" he protested vehemently. "She's coming to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts!" {A.N. Perhaps it's just the stigma that's with that job...}  
  
"What? We have a teacher--"  
  
"No, we don't. Professor Roquemore quit today. He said he was tired of 'snot-nosed brats'. Good Riddance, I say, but did they really have to get my sister?" Moony half vented, half pleaded for it not to be true.  
  
"Shouldn't this be wonderful?" I asked hesitantly.  
  
"No, because I don't want her authority over me, and to the point she'd be able to do something about it!"  
  
I stared. I wasn't used to Remmy being so childish.  
  
"Don't you remember when she was here? She was horrible! I mean, I adore her and such, but in school she was a pain!"  
  
I laughed. Samantha was always there to thwart our cunning plans until we found the secret passages to get around her. She was a hell of a Prefect.  
  
"Whatever you say, Moony! We're older and wiser! Plus, we've got animagi on our side, as well as the Marauder's Map and an invisibility cloak," I said cheerfully.  
  
Moony nodded sullenly. Next thing, Padfoot plopped down beside us.  
  
"Did you hear the incredible news? Batty, old Roquemore is leaving!" I could just hear his thoughts of 'Finally! I was running out of ideas!'  
  
"Yeah," Remmy grumbled. "To be replaced by my sister."   
  
Sirius' eyes opened in shock.  
  
"Wha...?"  
  
"Exactly," Moony growled, then he started at me.  
  
I shrugged. No point in worrying about it, I had more important things on my mind. I'd worry about Sam when she got here.  
  
Moony then stood up and stalked out of the Great Hall. He really was being a bit childish about this, but I wasn't one to complain. Especially if it'd make me a hypocrite.  
  
"I wonder what's eating him. It can't all really be about her coming to teach here," Padfoot said, voicing his thoughts.  
  
I nodded. Padfoot was right; this wasn't like Moony at all. Moony was usually a bit more articulated in voicing his woes.  
  
Padfoot then shrugged and grabbed a roll.  
  
"I'm going to do homework," he said as he stood up. I glanced at him quickly, and his look clearly stated he was up to something mischievous.   
  
"Want to come along?" he asked me.  
  
I grinned and nodded. "Sure," I said and also grabbed a roll. We walked out of the Great Hall and ran up to the dormitory. I grabbed my invisibility cloak and he grabbed the Marauder's Map. We were still adding new passages as we discovered them. We had only made the map at the beginning of this term.  
  
"C'mon, Prongsy! We've got a whole night, let's go!"  
  
I complied, and we walked to the Common Room, trying to look inconspicuous.  
  
When we were sure no one was there, Padfoot pulled out the map.  
  
"All right, Dumbledore is in his office, Roquemore isn't here, the rest of the teachers are in the Great Hall, everyone else of importance... Moony is in the owlry, Peter is in the library, and Lily is in her dormitory."  
  
I coughed as I choked on my roll. Lily? What was she doing on the map? We never had to worry about her before!  
  
Padfoot saw my stricken look. "Remember how the map is enchanted to show who we need to see and who we want to see? I knew you wanted to see Lily, so..." Padfoot trailed off.  
  
I started laughing and punched him in his arm. "Damn sod."  
  
Padfoot grinned crookedly. We made our way out of the portrait hole. We wouldn't use the invisibility cloak until we truly needed it.  
  
"You know, I'm positive I could sense clean air by this statue of Helga Hufflepuff by the Arithmancy classroom," Padfoot muttered as we made our way to the second floor corridor.  
  
"When you're being a great, big, scruffy dog?" I asked uninterestedly. I glanced at him, and he raised his eyebrow at me. Something I was infinitely jealous of. I've tried, even practiced in the mirror! I can't do it!  
  
"Oh, it's all right, Snuffles! I understand that being a dog does have its upsides," I said, then I patted his head.  
  
"I'd prefer it if you didn't do that," he said under his breath. I laughed and said, "What, so you don't want me calling you Snuffles?"  
  
He glared at me until we reached the statue. I made Padfoot put on the cloak when no one was looking, and transform underneath it. When he did, I saw the air shimmer as he shook off the cloak. I grabbed it and put it in my pocket. We couldn't be too sure of the happenings in Hogwarts.  Although, if one were to think about it, I suppose it was completely pointless.  I shrugged.  No point in worrying about it.  Padfoot did it, too.  
  
I stood as he sniffed, then barked at me. He gestured for me to bend down, and when I did, I felt a draft. I looked around quickly and motioned for him to detransform. When he did, he was sitting up stiffly.  
  
"Can you feel it? I wonder why it's as strong as it is?" he asked.  
  
I glanced at Snuffles. I have to snigger at that. Snuffles... "What's as strong?" I asked him.  
  
"The draft. I mean it's a bit strong considering."  
  
I nodded. I did wonder where this would lead. I wonder what it'd take to get it open.  
  
"Do you suppose it's password guarded?"  
  
"Don't know. I bet this could get Moony's mind off Sam," Padfoot answered. I agreed. We needed all of us here, as we weren't good without the other.  
  
"Yeah. Do you want to go get them?" I asked. He nodded, and so we stood up and hurried down the corridor. On our way down, Padfoot tripped and fell against a wall. Instead of hearing the smack I was accustomed to hearing when one was to fall, Padfoot disappeared beyond the wall. I was stunned!  
  
"Prongs?" Padfoot's voice queried, although it sounded a bit muffled. I put my hand on the wall, and it was solid.  
  
"Padfoot!" I yelled urgently, and my voice was an alto higher than usual. I hoped that Padfoot couldn't hear me all that well. I started to feel around the wall with my hands. Did Padfoot have his wand out? Did he hit the wall with his wand? While I was sliding my hands and thinking about what could've caused the wall to act like that, my finger got stuck in a hole in the wall. I pulled it out and Padfoot fell forward and onto me.  
  
"Oomph!"  
  
"Padfoot! Geroff me!"  
  
Padfoot stared down at me, grinning. His hair was falling out of his ponytail and onto my face. {A.N. All fangirls, squeal now and sigh deeply. Right. Now that's over with...}  
  
"But, Prongsy! I thought you loved me!"  
  
I wanted to grin, but that would mean showing Padfoot he'd gotten to me. And, if someone were to walk down the corridor now, it'd be a very awkward sight, indeed.  
  
Before I could say anything else, Padfoot rolled off of me, and he pulled his hair out of the ponytail. {A.N. Another collective sigh.}  
  
"How'd you open it, Prongs?" he asked. We were both still laying on the floor, and his head was turned towards me.  
  
"There was a nook in the wall, and when my finger got caught, I pulled it out and there you were!"  
  
Padfoot nodded, then his eyes widened and he looked like a deer caught in headlights. I noticed his gaze was looking past me. I scrambled up hastily after him.  
  
"Mr. Potter! Mr. Black! Whatever do you two think you're doing?"  
  
Oh no! It was Professor McGonagall! We shouldn't be out in the corridors. Bugger!

Review!  lesse_chan@yahoo.com 


	6. Looks Good On You

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 5

©PrincessLesse 2003

"Well, you see, Professor, we were just having a midnight stroll! Would you care to join us?" Padfoot said, pulling those eyes that he's very good with. Along with the smile, no one can resist the smile, no matter what sex you are.  
  
"Mr. Black, it's not even close to midnight, and of course I would not join you! That would be saying that I accept you breaking the rules! You should be in the Gryffindor Tower, where the rest of the students are, and you should know that there should be no wandering in the corridors after dinner! That's 25 points from Gryffindor!"  
  
"But Professor-"  
  
"Butts are your behinds, now those behinds will be losing more points, Mr. Black, if they don't rush up to Gryffindor Tower now!"  
  
"Oh, Professor, don't mind Sirius, he's a bit nutters, as I'm sure you know! I mean, why else would we be bustling about in the hall after dinner was over? We were going to just be getting back to Gryffindor Tower, but we had decided to take the scenic route!" Then I bent over to the professor and whispered, "I was really trying to get Sirius to come back, you know how he gets sometimes, overactive he is, I was only watching him like a good friend!"  
  
"Mr. Potter, sometimes you are too much! But the rules still stand, you are still losing the 25 points, and perhaps more if I still see you when I count to ten."  
  
"1..."  
  
"Come on, Sirius! Let's go!" I said, and then we both took off down the hall amidst McGonagall's counting.  
  
"Prongsy, this is ridiculous, and by the way, what did you tell the Professor?" Sirius asked me. I turned to him and grinned, to only speed up with him right behind me.  
  
"Did you tell her I was crazy again?" Padfoot asked, his voice squeaky in astonishment.  
  
"Well-"  
  
"What do you mean 'well'?"  
  
"Sort of!"  
  
"Prongs! Now she's really going to be watching me in Transfiguration. That's not fair! You're going to get it now!"  
  
"Not if you can't catch me!" I yelled to his ramblings, and then I started running as fast as I could. Sirius was just behind me, and I could see Hufflepuffs ahead, returning from a late dinner.  
  
"Watch it!" I yelled at them, but they turned to me and stayed in my way anyhow. Apparently they liked Sirius better.  
  
"What's the magic word, James?" a Hufflepuff seventh year asked me as I tried to dodge Sirius.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No, sorry, wrong answer!" she grinned as she stood where she was. I jumped again, as Padfoot started laughing, and grabbed his wand. I started laughing, too.  
  
"Hufflepuffs are the best?" I said anxiously, hoping to avoid a devious spell that Padfoot concocted.  
  
"How right you are, James, now you may pass, but you didn't manage to avoid Sirius' spell."  
  
My eyes widened, and I turned back towards Sirius, who was grinning benignly. He motioned with his head towards my bottom, and I noticed that I wasn't wearing my pants, but chaps. I rolled my eyes, was this all that Sirius could do? I expected better.  
  
"Padfoot, my boy, you're letting yourself go. What happened? Chaps? Really."  
  
"I know, Prongs, I'm losing my touch. Thank you, m'ladies, you have been most helpful."  
  
"Anytime, anytime. Oh, and James, thanks! Hufflepuffs are the best," that same seventh year said. I mimicked her and continued on, now feeling a slight draft through my boxers. I was just happy I wasn't wearing the ones that light up.  
  
"Prongsy, Prongsy, Prongsy..."  
  
"What, what, what?"  
  
"Chaps look good on you, you think Lily will like them?" Sirius asked.  
  
I turned red, and I glared at Padfoot. The very thought of Lily seeing me in chaps was embarrassing. Especially because I had boxers on underneath!  
  
"Jamesie, don't worry, I'm sure Lily won't be paying any attention, but that may be due to the fact that there will probably be so many people crowding around you, to get a look at your whanger."  
  
My face coloured, and I told him to go screw himself. Really, it's a love/love relationship. I continued on until I got to the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
  
"Oh, Prongsy, I know you don't mean that, but let's go in, see how everyone's doing!"  
  
"Not until you put my pants back on. You know I left my robe in the dorm!"  
  
Sirius chuckled, and said the password instead. (Pickles!) Then he walked in and left me! He just left me out here! Oh, how nice of him... he's left the portrait hole open for me.  
  
"C'mon, Prongsy, I've not got all day!"  
  
I sighed, then tried to change the chaps back myself. Bloody hell! They won't change! They won't change!  
  
"Padfoot!"  
  
"Is that James?" a voice asked. Remus poked his head out of the portrait hole, and then he started laughing.  
  
"That's really brilliant, James, although, I don't think you should be wearing boxers underneath. You do see how they fluff out, don't you?"  
  
"Oh, shut it, Moony!"  
  
"You might as well come in, I imagine the Professor will be by any minute. I assume you got caught, as I saw that a whole mess of points was missing."  
  
"It wasn't a 'whole mess' as you say it, only twenty-five, and that's twelve and a half each for Padfoot and I."  
  
"Yes, whatever, I never lose that much, so that gives me the ability to make fun of you two. So are you coming in or not?"  
  
I sighed to show my resignation. I nodded compliantly, and made my way in. Padfoot was lounging on my favourite squishy armchair, just to peeve me, and he grinned as he pointed to the person sitting on the couch. Lily was sitting on the couch talking to Peter, who was oblivious to the fact that I was stranded outside.  
  
Well, before I could give myself away, Padfoot did for me.  
  
"Jamesie! Whatever took you so long?"  
  
Oh, jolly! Now everyone can see all my glory and me! Well, not necessarily. I mean, I do have chaps and boxers on.  
  
"Oh, wow, those are just spiffing!" Holly, a fifth year prefect said when she came down the stairs. She grinned wolfishly, and winked at me. I coloured to that of a tomato, and I laughed nervously. I glanced out of the courners of my eyes, and saw that Lily was staring at me, not really any emotion on her face at all.  
  
"I'm just going to go upstairs now..." I said, and then I tried to walk calmly up the stairs, but I'm sure you could tell that didn't work. I did get Padfoot back; he now had to wear chaps, too. Not original, but when you're hard-pressed for time, it wasn't easy to be very imaginative.  
  
When I got to the dorm, I went to the bathroom and tried to take off the chaps. They weren't having any of it, and so I couldn't take them off. I'm positive I was making a big fuss, so instead of me hopping all over the place, trying to get them off, I summoned scissors, and tried to cut them. Sadly, that didn't work either.  
  
Remus came in the room, and sat down on his bed. He watched me intently, his eyes flickering from the pants to the scissors, to me pacing.  
  
"If you take yours off Padfoot, I'm sure he'll take those off you," Remus said, leaning back on his pillows.  
  
I rolled my eyes; I was going to let him suffer, just like I was.  
  
"If you must know, Padfoot is living it up out there, he doesn't mind the chaps, so he did the whole get-up and put on a plaid shirt and some boots," Remus said, practically reading my thoughts.  
  
"Moony..."  
  
"Quit whinging. I can change them back for you."  
  
"Really? Then please do it, I feel humiliated, don't you know."  
  
"You? Humiliated, please! How could that happen? It's not often you get embarrassed, how could this little incident really humiliate you? It can't be because of Lily. As far as I could tell, she didn't care."  
  
"Well, that boosts my ego, now could you please?"  
  
"Fine! If I must then I must." I watched as Moony raised his wand, and with a swipe and a few silent words, my pants from before were on. I grinned happily and fell on my bed.  
  
"Thanks, Moony. I owe you one."  
  
"You can get me a bar of Honeyduke's Chocolate; I hear they've a new kind with these walnuts that are soaked in honey. I'd love a bar."  
  
I nodded; my euphoria couldn't be dampened, no matter what happened.  
  
"Oh, Moony, Padfoot and I found another passage. Well, actually we found two, but I accidentally found out how to get into one of them. With much help from Padfoot. We were on our way back to get you and Peter to go look at it, and then we ran into McGonagall, and I told McGonagall Padfoot was crazy, then Padfoot gave me these chaps, and you know what happened after that."  
  
Moony nodded, and then he smiled, his teeth were unnaturally white. "I want to see it tonight, we can tell them later. I'm sure you don't want to go down there now. We can let everything die down a bit before you see them again."  
  
I laughed, my gratitude towards Moony evident in my posture.  
  
"If that's the case, I'm getting some sleep. Wake me when you guys are ready."  
  
Moony nodded, and walked out the door, grinning mysteriously. Sometimes, I just didn't know what happened in that head of his. It was like he was a walking enigma. Like other people I know, but she'll remain nameless.  
  
I got undressed and into my pyjamas. I was lying down, reading a Muggle fantasy that tried to adequately explain magic in a sense of wonder and excitement of some sort, when Padfoot walked in, with a hat a-top his head.  
  
"Prongsy, I see that Moony helped you out. Don't know how that bugger figured out my spell, I had made it to where it couldn't be reversed, but he's figured it out again. Blast him, but I've got a note from a special someone for you! I'm quite jealous, I hope you know, but I suppose that since you're my best mate, I won't let a girl come between us."  
  
I sat up and looked at Sirius expectantly. If this were a note from Lily, I'd gladly set my book down to read it instead.  
  
"Here, tell me what it says. I've a good heart, and I didn't read it."  
  
"Hmm… I wonder what she threatened to do to you."  
  
"Show a fake picture of me in the shower! I mean, how would she get that, and it wasn't me anyhow!"  
  
"Cold shower?"  
  
"Yeah," Padfoot answered dejectedly. He sat down opposite me, and fiddled with his plaid shirt. He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to read it.  
  
I opened the note up and read it quickly. It only said a couple of words, but they put me back on my happy cloud.  
  
"Looks good on you."  
  
"Well, what did it say?" Padfoot asked me anxiously, somehow acquiring a piece of straw and was chewing on it. He looked like a horse.  
  
"It said 'Looks good on you'."  
  
"That's all?"  
  
"Yes," I said grinning. I folded it back up and put it in my drawer on the bedside.  
  
"That isn't worth blackmail..." I head Padfoot mutter. He glanced at me, and then said, "I want to throw a party!"  
  
"Where did that come from?" I asked him, picking my book back up and tried to continue reading.  
  
"I just think we should have a party, I feel like we should do something or something!"  
  
"Something or something... well, I've an idea, let me read, and I'll change your chaps!"  
  
"Okay, but I happen to like the chaps. Although, I would've picked tight leather ones, and I could've just taken off my shirt and let everyone admire and envy my wonderfully toned body."  
  
"Or you could not, but here," I said, then waved my wand and he was back in his normal pants. He changed back the rest of his clothes, and stood up.  
  
"I guess I'm off to the Common Room, I wouldn't want to disturb our little Jamesie, now would I?"  
  
"I guess not, now you can leave, you've done all that you've came to do."  
  
"Yes, well ta-ta, Jamesie!"  
  
~*~  
  
That night, when Wormtail woke me up, we all crept down the stairs and out into the corridors.  
  
"Alright, Prongs, Padfoot, where was the room?" Peter asked, probably thinking up a visual map of Hogwarts.  
  
"It was on the second floor corridor, a few paces before the statue of Helga Hufflepuff," Padfoot answered, most likely thinking about how he fell through the wall. I nodded, and told the same.  
  
"Now, how was it you got in," Remus asked, sniffing the air. His senses were also heightened during human form.  
  
"A nook in the wall. My finger got stuck, and when I pulled it out, Padfoot fell through."  
  
"Padfoot, do you remember what was in the room or what it was like?" Moony asked, his eyes now on Sirius.  
  
"No, it was dark. I couldn't tell you if it was even bigger than a closet."  
  
"Well, that's just wonderful," answered Peter. I turned towards him, thinking that he was talking about Sirius not being able to see, when I saw that his foot was stuck.  
  
I walked towards him, and he grinned weakly. "Trick stairs, I always forget about it. Mind giving me a hand?"  
  
I helped pull him out, and we walked up the stairs to the second floor. When we got there, I started running my hand along the right side of the wall, feeling for that particular nook. I couldn't remember where it was, and the fact that we lived in a castle didn't help, because there were bound to be more than one.  
  
"Okay, the statue is right there, and the last thing I saw before I feel into the room was a chandelier," Padfoot said.  
  
Peter and Remus started to look up, and there were four chandeliers only in this section of the corridor.  
  
"Alright, we each take a chandelier, and find a hole!" I said. I personally couldn't wait to find the room.  
  
I was looking fervently for the nook; when I head Peter give a gasp of surprise. I turned towards him, and Padfoot and Moony were already beside him. I hurriedly walked towards them, and saw that Peter's hand was partly through the wall.  
  
"C'mon then, let's go!" Padfoot said. He grabbed his wand, uttered _'Lumos'_, and walked through. Peter followed him, then Remus, and then me.  
  
What I saw was astonishing. It was a grand room, bigger than the Gryffindor common room, and it was decorated in blue and bronze. I turned around and stared. Tons of books were everywhere in elaborate bookshelves, and there was a great, wooden desk at the corner of the room, and a four-poster bed, with sheer blue hangings.  
  
"I think this was made for a Ravenclaw," Moony said needlessly.  
  
"I wouldn't have guessed that at all," Sirius said sarcastically. He went to touch the bed, which was blue with bronze trimmings. I-instead- went to the bookshelves and looked at the many books with glittering titles.  
  
"Look at this fireplace," Peter said. I walked over to stand beside him, and it was pewter, with intricately carved eagles. I held my wand closer for inspection, and saw a Latin phrase in carved on the mantle.  
  
"Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo."  
  
"Hey, Moony, come see what this says," I called. I beckoned Remus to come see, and he glanced at the inscription, his eyesight far better than mine, could read without the wand right up close to the mantle.  
  
"The drop hollows out the stone by frequent dropping, not by force; constant persistence gains the end," Moony said out loud for us. Then he repeated it so we could hear him.  
  
"I wonder why they'd put that on a fireplace," Peter asked inquisitively, not really speaking to us at all.  
  
Remus shrugged, and he bent down to look at the fireplace once more. He motioned for us to look at the bottom, and there were other carvings there, but not of eagles.  
  
"Look, it's the Hogwarts symbol. And here, it's the house symbols by themselves. I wonder why a Ravenclaw room would have all the symbols together?" Wormtail explained, his right hand touching them.  
  
"Perhaps because this room belonged to a founder," Moony said, standing up.  
  
I glanced at him, and he was staring at Padfoot who was looking at the desk.  
  
"Guys, come see what I've found," Sirius said quickly. I didn't need to see to know that Sirius was afraid

Review! lesse_chan@yahoo.com


	7. Not Enough Adventures

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 6

©PrincessLesse 2003

When I slowly made my way to Sirius and the desk, I watched as he held up a parchment, that was yellow from age, and the corners were falling off.  
  
"What's so bad about this, Padfoot?" I asked, knowing that there could be nothing so bad about a simple piece of parchment, no matter how old it was.  
  
Sirius didn't spare me a glance, but read it out loud for all of us to hear.  
  
_" Sometimes, min pain warrants necessary. More so than min happiness min should endure with pleasure. Minthe hath not realized what pain could truly mean. Mere weeks ago, dear Salazar left our company. Left min all behind, because ye petty differences. Thy ruined friendships, ruined relationships. Minthe hath loved dearest Salazar, more than thine could comprehend. Min, Salazar, left Godric without ge-leafa of return. Friendships are ruined, as Salazar would not take thy of blood not pure. With no ge-leafa, min turns to Godric, in hope of frefran.   
  
"Godric, oaf of great expectations, marched into thy night ex mero motu, leaving min alone without warmth. Min knows not if thy is to return to mine arms. Here, this dusk, min stays alone, with fire brought by minthe wand. If only pain was gone, into ye oblivion, min bids feran ye well. With thine dagger, min bringan deaþ ealdorgedæl.  
  
Mid frendscipe,  
  
Rowena Ravenclaw"_  
  
I looked at Padfoot. He had read the letter slowly, choking on the words, which were foreign to us all. Except, he seemed to understand better than I did, and Moony always knew things like this. It was as if it was a talent of his. To know what we did not.  
  
Anyhow, I looked at Padfoot, who was ashen-faced. He stared at me, with his eyes glassy, and he stared with a faint hope that I'd understand. I felt horrible, because I did not, and I felt as if I let him down.  
  
"Do you know what this means?" Padfoot asked me, willing me to understand.  
  
But before I could answer Moony did, "It means that Rowena Ravenclaw had committed suicide in this room."  
  
I sat back on the bed, dust sprawling up around me, showering me in clouds. Rowena Ravenclaw, a founder of Hogwarts, diminished herself by committing suicide. Horribly terrible, horribly.  
  
I watched as Wormtail squeaked a bit, and then frowned softly. "I didn't understand. How do you know, I didn't understand most of the words."  
  
Moony stuck out his hand to Padfoot, and Padfoot handed over the parchment, his eyes surveying the surroundings. He walked over to the bed, and sat down next to me, sinking into the aged bed.  
  
"This statement, "min bringan deaþ ealdorgedæl" means, "I bring death". And the previous statement says, "with thine dagger", hence she's stating that she killed herself with a dagger."  
  
I whistled. Death by knife, that was horrible. I couldn't imagine dying, not before I was good and ready, and that meaning I had lived a long and good life.  
  
"She mixed Latin and Old English, but it was just one phrase. So, perhaps she used it often, the Latin phrase," Moony said, speculating the letter. I gave him a look, pointedly saying to decipher the letter for us.  
  
"Well, the Latin phrase is 'ex mero motu' which means 'of his own will'. And, her farewell, 'mid frendscipe' means 'with love', and some of the Old English words weren't lost on me or Padfoot. I'm surprised you two didn't know them. Anyhow, 'feran' means 'fare' and 'ge-leafa' means 'faith', as well as 'eðnis' which means 'comfort'."  
  
I nodded, knowing full well that Moony could see me. Padfoot then said something, in his slightly strangled voice, "Rowena loved Salazar, and she said that Salazar ruined friendships and relationships. From how she wrote it, she said that Salazar left her and Godric, with no faith of returning. Salazar was Godric's friend. That means that Slytherins and Gryffindors were friends, and that he and Rowena were *together*."  
  
I gathered a bit of that. I didn't realize, but it was close enough to what I thought. I thought she had written that she was with Godric. Then Padfoot continued, "Then she turned to Godric, in hopes of finding comfort in him. Then she said that she was going to kill herself when Godric left with no hopes of returning."   
  
We were all silent after this, practically listening to the dust that was settling in the room. I sighed, and then I heard Wormtail speak up.  
  
"Do you think, do you think they found her?" Wormtail asked, his eyes shining. "I mean, if they didn't, that means, what's left of her body could be in this room. A dead body could be in this room!"  
  
"That's brilliant, Wormtail. Way to be tactful," Padfoot said scathingly, his sarcasm wasn't unnoted.  
  
"Why don't you shut up?" Wormtail said, his fingers flexing.  
  
"Now, guys, this is all putting us on ends, but let's come to the conclusion we need to get along. No matter what. All right, Moony, you said that she killed herself with a dagger, and Wormtail thinks that the body could still be in here. Do you think we should stay and search around, in chance of finding something?"  
  
"Not no, but hell no!" Wormtail said, freezing up and knocking the desk. I watched with eyes that were finally accustomed to the dark, as something fell to the floor. Moony saw it, too, and went to retrieve it. He emerged from behind the desk with something that glinted in the wand light.  
  
"What's that, Moony?" Padfoot asked, his eyes scanning the room, trying not to look at Moony. It was beyond me why he was doing that.  
  
"It's--it's a dagger. Sapphire encrusted, quite nice, really," Moony said, his voice strangled. I coughed, and then swallowed. I smiled wanly and said, "Maybe we can pawn it off."  
  
I saw them all shuffle, and look at me with looks that clearly didn't understand. "Muggle thing," I muttered quietly, the joke not found on them.  
  
Moony coughed, not listening to me any longer. "Did any of you read "Hogwarts: A History"?" Moony asked. I was wondering why, but I shrugged and said, "Yes."  
  
"Well, did you realize that they didn't elaborate Rowena's death?"  
  
"Actually, yes. She died around the 15th century, but they didn't say how. I never paid attention to her death." I shrugged again, and then I looked back at Moony.  
  
"When was that dated, Moony?" I asked.  
  
"15th Century, the third month of the second year after the waning of the full moon."  
  
I looked at him and then said, "We could consult an astronomy chart later, but it doesn't matter. Well, it's in March of 1402. While back, don't you say? Anyhow, that's around the time she died."  
  
I watched as all of us lapsed into silence again. There couldn't have been a body in here. They would've found it. They knew all about it.  
  
"There's no body in here. I doubt this is even the dagger," Moony said as he looked at the dagger. "They wouldn't have just left her in here, so there is nothing to worry about," Moony said, directing that towards Wormtail.  
  
Padfoot stood up and said, "I think we've been in here long enough. We won't come in here unless it's a dire emergency. So, let's get out of here and see if we can get back before it's time to wake up."  
  
I nodded, and we dashed out, and I put my invisibility cloak on all of us except me. I could walk out without worrying about anyone messing with me. Usually. I had the Marauder's Map just in case.  
  
No one was in sight, so I gave the signal, and we started to briskly run back to the Gryffindor Tower. When we got there, I gave the password and we all dashed in. Once we got to the Boys' Dormitory, Moony glanced at me and pulled out the letter.  
  
"This is our new adventure, Prongs. Our new adventure."  
  
I nodded and thought about all the other adventures. They all equaled challenges, and I had many challenges to overcome this year.  
  
"Yeah, Moony, our new adventure," then I muttered, "Because there's not enough of them out there."

Review!


	8. Bravery

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 7

~*~*~  
  
           Grand adventures. Moony is undeniably happy about these. He gets to learn something new. Gets to experience something, to take his mind off things, like his sister, who is coming in about a week. I personally can't wait to see Sam; she's always brought a smile to my face.  
  
Well, as for me, there are entirely too many grand adventures, all equaling challenges I truly don't want to face. Surely one must know that. As for grand adventures and challenges, there's only one I want. Lily Evans.  
  
Speaking about her, there she is, on the couch, looking perplexed. Perhaps I should go talk to her...  
  
"Jamesie! I'm starved, do you want to grab a bite to eat?"  
  
Merlin, Padfoot has bad timing. "Not right now, Sirius. Perhaps Moony or Wormtail will be able to accompany you."  
  
"Nah, Moony is busy doing something, I didn't bother to see what after he said 'Potions'. Y'know how I hate Potions. Snivellus is such a prat in that class.  
  
"As for Wormtail, he was busy with McGonagall on that Muggle thing. I mean, I'm not against them or anything of that rot, I just don't see how you can spend all your bloody time worried about them. If I didn't know better, I'd have a feeling you'd get a job in that field."  
  
I nodded absently. A job dealing with Muggles couldn't be that bad. Well, I could play Quidditch professionally; I'm not a half bad Chaser. I am Captain of the team; I shouldn't see why I couldn't. BUT, that shall be used for another thinking time.  
  
"Perhaps, Padfoot, you should find someone else. Couldn't you find someone to eat with?" I asked him, making jerking motions to the couch. A friend of Lily's was sitting by her, and I'd very much like to speak with her alone. Lily that is.  
  
"Good idea, Prongsy! I'll ask Lily! LIL--"  
  
"NO!" I yelled when I realized what Padfoot had thought I meant. In my haste, the only thing I could think of to silence him was to jump on him. Jump on him I did. I practically flew as I tackled Padfoot, like the Muggles do in the Americas.  
  
"Whoa, Prongsy, I didn't know you wanted me like that. The best thing to do would be to wait until everyone isn't looking at us."  
  
It was one of those unexplainable situations again, and instead of McGonagall finding us, it was worse. The whole of the Common room was staring at us. That included Lily.  
  
I quickly scrambled off of Padfoot as he blew a kiss at me.  
  
"Sorry, James, I thought you knew, I'm not into that."  
  
"You--"  
  
"James?"  
  
"Lily! How--er--are you?" I finished lamely.  
  
Sirius started laughing. "Lilykins, I was wondering--"  
  
"He was wondering if you'd finished your Charms! Y'know Sirius--he wanted to double-check and see if he could copy mine and be all right. You know, compare mine to yours!" I interjected.  
  
I tried grinning and sent Sirius a dirty look when he looked as if he was about to protest.  
  
Lily looked at us strangely and arched a brow. I tried to smile charmingly.  
  
"You already finished your Charms essay?" she asked, perplexed.  
  
Well, no I actually hadn't, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. I nodded, a smile on my lips.  
  
She narrowed her eyes at me, staring at me in that way that made my stomach flop.  
  
"Well, that's something. I wouldn't have thought you'd have finished it already. I suppose because I haven't started, I assumed no one had. It's only due in three weeks, ample time to finish it."  
  
I grinned forcibly, my ears turning red as Padfoot snorted.  
  
"Oh, you know I'm not good at Charms. I just wanted to get it out of the way. Well, I guess Padfoot will have to worry about it later. So, see you, Padfoot!"  
  
Padfoot glared at me, then turned to Lily. "I suppose I'll get to see your Charms when you finish, eh? You know how I can't trust James.  
  
I choked a bit when Lily smiled at him. I realized it was for naught when Lily said, "Why don't you do it on your own, Sirius?"  
  
I chuckled as Sirius was bested once again by Lily. Yet, he always redeemed himself well.  
  
"Then I wouldn't get top-notch grades! You've always helped me out before, Evans!"  
  
"No I've--Sirius! Have you cheated off me?"  
  
Padfoot started laughing and gave Lily a salute as he disappeared out of the portrait hole.  
  
"Has he cheated off me before?" Lily asked as she turned to me, her eyes shining.  
  
I didn't chuckle, because I knew that'd be the wrong thing to do. Instead, I gave her a winning smile that usually worked on everyone else.  
  
"I doubt it. He sits in back with me. He couldn't be bothered to cheat off you--he's too lazy."  
  
Watching with satisfaction, Lily calmed down. Yet, it was short-lived.  
  
"What do you mean 'couldn't be bothered'? Are you saying I'm not good enough to be cheated off?"  
  
"No! No, that's certainly not what I meant! I was saying that there were people closer to cheat off--he usually cheats off me! You're too far in the front!" I was trying desperately to make Lily understand.  
  
"James, it's all right. I was only teasing. Marcy tries to cheat off me all the time. I'm used to it. I just didn't expect Sirius."  
  
I calmed down and looked around the Common Room. They quickly turned back to what they were doing. I shrugged, not bothered by them if Lily was paying attention to me.  
  
"So, Lily, the dance is coming up soon. I was wondering what colour dress robes you were wearing? So I could match, or try to, anyhow."  
  
I coloured a bit as Lily smiled impishly at me.  
  
"Well, James, I haven't really thought about it. How about you help me out? I've narrowed it down to three colours: Ice blue, green--forest green that is, and an off-white colour."  
  
I smiled a bit. I think that Lily would look great in all three colours. I stated so as well.  
  
"I think anything would look great on you," I answered dutifully. Not that there wasn't any reason not to.  
  
Lily laughed and said, "Thanks for the compliment. C'mon, let's go take a walk or something. The Common Room is stuffy."  
  
I jumped at the chance to spend time with Lily. So I nodded enthusiastically as I said, "Let me summon our cloaks."  
  
Raising my wand, I said, "Accio Cloaks." They came zooming down the stairs. Lily grabbed hers and I snatched mine. We walked out of the Common Room after I made sure that Lily was situated.  
  
We were chatting amiably, talking about this and that as an unwelcome distraction started to bother us.  
  
"Look who it is. It's Potter and the Mudblood." I tensed and Lily grabbed my arm.  
  
"Don't be bothered by him, James. Try being the bigger person and ending this."  
  
I nodded jerkily, my glare on nothing but Snivellus. There was nothing but hatred in his glare, perhaps because of what happened with us in fifth year, and all the torment and what not. Last year was hectic. I suppose you could say I was growing into my hormones.  
  
"Letting your woman speak for you?"  
  
My hand jerked, but Lily stopped me before I could hit him. Encounters with Snape happen like this all the time. There was always something about him I couldn't stand. Just him being there bothered me.  
  
"Snape, leave us alone. We're practically adults, let's act like them," Lily said for us. I couldn't talk, or I would end up doing or saying something I'd regret later.  
  
Snivellus turned his glare to Lily, and it softened before it went back to the usual glare.  
  
"Don't speak to me, Mudblood," Snivellus responded. That was the last time I was going to let him insult Lily. I pulled out my wand, when I realized that Snape was ready.  
  
"You deserved everything you get and don't get," Snape muttered, direction that general comment towards me. Yet, before either of us could cast an incantation, Lily took both our wands.  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
I looked at Lily, surprise on my face. It was nothing compared to Snape's--being bested by a girl. A Muggle-born at that!  
  
"Listen, let's forget this ever happened or I'll deduct points and get McGonagall."  
  
I watched as Snape glared at Lily, clearly not liking what he heard. My face was still devoid of emotion and my whole body was tense. I had promised Lily last year that I wouldn't fight with Snape. She hated confrontations like these.  
  
"Now, I'm going to give you two your wands back. Don't try anything, and Snape, if you do, remember that it's two against one."  
  
I spared Lily a quick and surprised glance, but then I quickly switched it back to Snape. He kept his eyes on Lily. I knew this girl was smart... she gave me my wand first. I'm sure she was entrusting me not to cast a spell. Then she gave Snape's wand back.  
  
Snape stuck it in his pocket and gave us a glare. When he walked by me, he hissed for only me to hear, "This isn't over with, Potter. It's far from over. I'll always hate arrogance, so I'll always hate you."  
  
If it weren't for Lily, I would've resulted to Muggle dueling and punched him. When he was out of earshot, I practically deflated, rage still suppressed with in me. I glanced at Lily, the embarrassment I wasn't accustomed to starting to kick in.  
  
"Well, James, I suppose all of our actions have consequences. This is a just a repercussion of the things you've done before."  
  
I couldn't be angry; it was fairly true. I've always hated Snape. Then I narrowed my eyes. "But, Lily, you've never done anything but try to help him."  
  
"Yes, well, I'm a Muggle-born, aren't I? It doesn't matter; we never finished our walk. Come on, then."  
  
I let out a sigh but gave her one of my smiles. I realized it was for naught, as she was biting her lip, looking nervously ahead of us.  
  
"Lily, that was a really brave thing, standing up to Sniv--Snape."  
  
She looked at me, with all of her attention, making sure I knew that I had it undivided. "I think you were brave to stand up for me, James."  
  
I truly smiled at that. Lily thought I was brave. It's all that counts.


	9. Change of Heart

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 8

©PrincessLesse 2003

"Padfoot!" I yelled down the corridor. We were late tonight. Tonight was a full moon, and I couldn't wait to go.  
  
"Prongsy, why don't you hold your stags?" I rolled my eyes at the bad pun. Then I heard chuckling. "'Hold your stags', heh, that was a good one."  
  
Only Padfoot...  
  
"Prongsy! Merlin, you take so long! Why can't you hurry it up a bit?"  
  
Again, only Padfoot.  
  
"Geez, Padfoot, why don't you wait a tic and let me grab clothes?"  
  
"Why ever would you need clothes? We should run around, free like birds, or animals really, none of us are actually birds."  
  
You don't say... I always knew Padfoot was a sharp one. But, I did listen to what he said. I wasn't going to run around in the buff, but I was going to leave the clothes here. I walked to the window, the full moon was shining on the room, and I thought it looked rather beautiful. Not that I'd ever tell anyone that! But, I wonder if Lily is looking at the moon now, and wonders how beautiful it is. Like her.  
  
"Dammit, Prongs! Will you bloody get a move on?"  
  
"My, listen to those swear words! Do you talk to my mother with that mouth?"  
  
Sirius flipped me off! The wanker. Anyhow, we did start to hurry. When we got to the Whomping Willow, we saw a rat scurrying around, squeaking in a manner as if it were upset.  
  
"Just wait a damn minute, will you?" Sirius asked. Commanded really, but I won't say that.  
  
The next thing we knew, we heard a pop, and Peter was standing there, glaring at us.  
  
"Took you girls damn near long enough!"  
  
"Quit your whinging, Wormtail, we're here aren't we?" Padfoot asked, grinning slightly. "C'mon, you slow-pokes, we're missing all the fun!"  
  
Then I watched as Sirius transformed. I narrowed my eyes at him, and then I said aloud, "'Slow-pokes'? What are you, an ickle firstie?"  
  
I dodged to the side as the giant dog lunged at me. Since they were waiting for me, as Peter already transformed, I too turned. Stag it was for me. I started prancing around, looking back at the castle. We were obscured from view, and it didn't mater anyhow. They wouldn't be able to tell with the concealment potion that I brewed up for us earlier.  
  
It was free, being an animal. You get these instincts, and yet you still have human minds. I've always wondered why I became a stag of all things. It was only appropriate that Sirius become a dog, he's named after the Dog Star. As I pranced--erm--walked closer to the Whomping Willow, Peter scurried to the knob, and pressed it. It was slightly amazing how this flailing tree would become still with a touch of a knob. We all scurried down the hole, my four knees scurrying along. Good thing I had my human mind, or I would've freaked out because of the closure.  
  
When we arrived at the Shrieking Shack, a werewolf was howling at the window, tearing up a chair, his back hair raised. He was snarling, but when he saw us, it was as if he immediately calmed down. This never ceased to amaze me how we could do this every month and yet not be killed.  
  
I heard Padfoot give a bark and Moony give one in return. There was a scurrying around on my hind legs, and I knew that Peter was on my back. I gave a snort, and started beating my hooves. We were going to the Forbidden Forest tonight, and it would be an incredible night indeed.  
  
~~**~~  
  
When I awoke the next morning, I was groggy and annoyed. I couldn't remember why, but then I realized it was because of the incessant chime of a bell. It kept ringing, and ringing, and ringing... felt like it had been ringing for hours.  
  
"No, Mum! I hate church..." I heard Peter mumble into his pillow as he rolled over and put the pillow over his head. I looked to Sirius, and his leg was hanging off the bed, and he was drooling, seemingly oblivious to the ringing bell. How I wished I could sleep like that...  
  
I looked up, and the bell was ringing in the air, enchanted to ring at a certain time to wake us up for classes... classes? Bloody hell!  
  
I took my wand and turned off the alarm, and then I threw a book at Sirius. "Wake up, you dolts! We're late for classes!"  
  
Sirius shot up (after I hit him with the book), his eyes glazed over, and mumbling, "But I want the cheese."  
  
"Snorfle finus blerp..." I heard Peter mumble. Then a massive snore came from him. Sometimes...  
  
"Peter! Wake up! We are late and Kathagitus is going to have our hides!"  
  
I watched as Peter rolled over and ignored me. Sirius was rubbing side of his face, as he couldn't seem to concentrate it to one spot. His hair was stuck up on end at one side. I glared at him as he yawned and blinked sleepily at me.  
  
"Watcha worryin' 'bout, Jamesie? Y'know--" Sirius was cut short by a yawn he gave. I rolled my eyes as I cast a spell on Peter, and he then fell off the bed.  
  
I threatened Sirius, but he saw I wasn't in a good mood, and he held up his hands. "Then we should go, he's probably half-way finished."  
  
I panicked and looked at my watch. Well, we were twenty minutes late. I started running around, pulling on my slacks, then realizing that I had my pyjama pants on. I started all over again, getting everything right, and then pulled on my blazer, tucking my tie down the front. I didn't bother with my hair as I ran to the bathroom, intending to brush my teeth.  
  
When I ran back to the dorm, Peter was in his knickers, and Padfoot in the buff. I yelled and turned away. "Point that somewhere else, Padfoot!"  
  
"Wha..." Padfoot asked sleepily. Then he looked down. "Oh. Don't mind that."  
  
I rolled my eyes and then looked at my watch again. Thirty minutes late... "Look, I'll see you guys in a bit. Well, if you make it."  
  
I ran to grab my bag and pulled on my shoes before I ran down the stairs, and then out the portrait hole.  
  
I ran down a couple of flights of stairs, and finally skidded to a halt in front of the Potions room in the dungeon. I burst into the room, breathing heavily.  
  
"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Potter. Please, do take a seat."  
  
I nodded, grinned at him in that way that said, 'I'm innocent!' and then made my way to where I usually sat. I realized that Moony wasn't here, and Wormtail and Padfoot probably weren't going to make it. I looked beside me, and Lily was sitting by herself.  
  
Merlin, what luck! I grinned at her and gave her a roguish wink as I sat down and pulled out parchment and a quill.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Lily Evans all by her lonesome!"  
  
"Hmm… yes, it certainly is. Are you having more problems than usual with your hair, James?" she asked me, eyeing my hair with a casual eye. I quickly felt the top of my head, and then tried to flatten it down, giving her another grin.  
  
She smiled at me, and then I heard her quill scratching. She was writing down the ingredients to the potion that we were doing. I glanced at her papers, and realized I missed at least ten inches of notes. Not bad. I suppose it could've been worse.  
  
"You didn't get lost without a pretty guide, James?" she asked me, still scribbling and not looking at me.  
  
I grinned as I, too, started to take notes. It's not often that I do, because I usually use this nifty spell to record what the Professor is saying, but I figured I could show Lily I had a studious side.  
  
"Ah, no, I had no worries. I had a pretty girl waiting for me."  
  
"I don't see anyone waiting for you, James."  
  
I coloured a bit, and then I said, "Well, you're not looking. You're too busy staring at the parchment."  
  
I heard her chuckle and then she said, "I don't have to look to know that no pretty girls are waiting for you. You're here now, aren't you? Why would they still be waiting for you?"  
  
My this Evans was a fiery one! I loved that about her! I was about to tell her something else when I was interrupted.  
  
"Ahem, Mr. Potter. I understand that you're enthused to be sitting by Ms. Evans, but please pay attention to the lesson. You're going to be brewing this potion in a few minutes."  
  
"Yes, Professor Kathagitus, sir!" I said, giving him a salute. The Professor gave me a jaunty grin as he returned to the black board.  
  
"What do you know, the infamous James Potter does get caught," I heard Lily say.  
  
I gave her a teasing glare, knowing that she was watching me out of the corner of her eyes. "I think you're giving me bad luck, Lily. Perhaps it's you're fault."  
  
Lily put down her quill, and then folded her arms and looked at me. She grinned slightly as she said, "I'm never in trouble, James. I don't *get* into trouble. I leave that up to you."  
  
I smiled. This was one of those conversations I rarely have with Lily. She's usually very subdued. I guess Potions brings her extroverted side out in her. I don't know why, it's a stupid class with stupid Slytherins, but hey, today I'm sitting by Lily!  
  
"Touché!" I said to her, crossing my arms as well.  
  
She grinned at me, sending me one of those looks that I knew that meant she was pleased. Mental note: give Lily compliments on her brains rather than looks. Although, I'm sure she enjoys those, too.  
  
"Alright, class, time for the potion-making," Kathagitus said to us, clapping his hands as everyone pulled out their cauldrons. I frowned, and realized that I hadn't gotten mine from the back of the room. I raised my hand to ask for permission, and it was granted.  
  
I stood up and walked down the isle, but not before I tripped over something, and stumbled to the back. My lanky form not quite used to being throttled around like that.  
  
"Learn how to walk, Potter," I heard Snape say. The class chortled, and the Slytherins laughed at me with Snape's cheek. I snarled, before I grinned and said, "Learn to take a bath, Snivellus."  
  
The classroom stirred. They expected one of those infamous confrontations, and before Snape could say something else, I heard a yell.  
  
"Oh NO, Professor! I put in the crushed beetles instead of snails!"  
  
I turned and stared at Lily, who was ashen-faced. The professor quickly ran over to the table, and the class looked that way, when a small explosion was heard. I hurried over to the table, and the Professor was covered in a slimy mixture.  
  
"Ms. Evans, I had reprimanded your partner, Mr. Potter, about paying attention, and yet you add the crushed beetles? Five points from Gryffindor."  
  
I heard angry muttering, mainly towards Lily for losing the points. None of them actually realized that she was usually getting the points. I went to the back of the classroom again, sending a glare at Snape, and then grabbing my cauldron and returning. I sat down by Lily, who's face was still white, except this time, it didn't seem to be from mixing the wrong ingredients.  
  
"Lily?"  
  
"Yes? Oh, don't mind me. I promise I won't put anything in you're potion, 'kay?" Lily said rather shakily. Then I realized something. Lily never lost points before. In fact, she never mixed ingredients incorrectly before, either. I looked at her parchment, the ingredients were written down perfectly, her neat handwriting glaring up at me.  
  
"I don't care about that. I know what you did...and thanks."  
  
She looked up at me, a smile flitting across her face as she stirred her potion. I looked at it, and I realized that it was the colour it was supposed to be, and she did it in a rather quick amount of time. I started on mine.  
  
I took another quick glance at Lily, as she was still smiling, now stirring the potion counter-clockwise.  
  
"I thought that was rather brave. And don't worry about the points, I've lost loads more than that, and plus, you saved me from losing loads more than five today. You'll win them back, don't worry."  
  
I looked at Lily as she chewed on her lip, distinctly showing that she was nervous. She pushed back her hair with the back of her hand. "You think so?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Of course! It was a measly five points. You'll win those back brushing your teeth the right way or something."  
  
I heard Lily laugh and then she returned to her potion. I sat there, mulling my thoughts. Lily had deliberately mixed up her ingredients, knowing the effects, so I wouldn't get into another fight. So I wouldn't get in trouble... maybe, maybe Lily is starting to have a change of heart about me. I surely hope so.

Review!


	10. Spot of Flying

**Saftey From a Distance**

Chapter 9 

"Moony! How was your _aunt_?" Padfoot asked Moony, who was grinning weakly. 

"She's better now," Moony said, his cheeks rather pale. I grinned as I shoved plates of food in front of him. 

"Eat something!" 

"Any chocolate?" he asked weakly, shrugging his shoulders emphatically. 

"For you, mate, always!" said Wormtail as he pulled out a huge bar of chocolate. 

"Aw, Wormtail, you hold the key to my heart," Moony said as he unwrapped the chocolate. 

"Moony? Did you cheat on me?" Padfoot yelled, his voice an octave higher than usual. 

"What?! Moony? With two different people?" I also yelled, agahst. 

Moony's eyes widened as people looked at us from all around the Gryffindor table. 

"Now, guys, there's plenty of me to go around, no need to fight!" 

Sirius gave one of his bark-like laughs, and he slapped Moony on the back. 

"Glad to see you back, mate!" said Padfoot, his voice booming throughout the Great Hall. 

I watched Peter roll his eyes, and then I remembered something! But before I could say, Dumbledore stood up. 

"Students! I have some very good news. Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has arrived." 

There were four collective, audbile gasps and they came from us. 

"Professor Samantha Lupin," introduced Dumbledore. 

A woman with straw-blonde hair and a slim figure then walked in, she was smiling at all of us and gave a wave. 

"Professor Lupin, these students are what you have to look foward to." 

I noticed that Dumbledore gave a merry twinkle towards us. Glancing quickly at Moony, I realized he was the palest that I've ever seen him. 

Then Padfoot had to go and be Padfoot... 

"Sam! Where've you been all my life?" he yelled out to her. 

There was scattered chuckling as everyone looked at Padfoot. Dumbledore was even sparing him a happy glance. I swear, sometimes it's like he can't get upset. Dumbledore, that is. I know that Padfoot can get upset. 

"Hello, Sirius," Sam said as Padfoot ran up to her and hugged her exaggeratedly. 

I gave a laugh as he started to try and pick her up, and she was protesting. I chuckled as I realized her face was a bright red. 

"Mr. Black, I believe that is enough of a greeting," Dumbledore said as Padfoot was now trying to give Sam a kiss. 

"Oh, come on, Professor!" said Padfoot. He frowned a bit, then gave Sam another squeeze. "We're old chums!" 

"Mr. Black," McGonagall started warningly. When that happened, Padfoot threw up his hands in surrender and then blew McGonagall a kiss. 

I could've sworn McGonagall just blushed... 

When Padfoot came back, he clapped Moony on the back, who had his head down on the table. I glanced back up at the staff table, and Sam was shaking hands with the rest of the professors. 

"Moony?" inquired Wormtail. 

"If anyone asks, I've hung myself in the dungeons," Moony muttered as he banged his head against the table. 

"Don't worry, mate, no one'll ask," said Sirius as he stuffed peas into his mouth. 

Moony looked up and shot a glare at Padfoot, and then he let his head drop back onto the table with a _thump_. 

I gave a chuckle as I watched Moony. Then I remembered, there was something that I needed to give him. I was going to before Dumbledore introduced Sam. 

"Aw, Remmy, don't whinge," I said, trying to sound comforting. It was quite hard to do. "You got a letter this morning." 

I then tossed the letter towards him, which plopped in his mashed potatoes. Wormtail picked it up and thumped Moony in the head. 

"Eh, Moony, want me to read it?" 

"No." 

"Alright!" Wormtail proceeded to open the letter. 

"_Dear Remus, _

Blah, Blah, Blah, We've not heard from you and mum is worried... blah, blah, blah, I know I can't hold it in, so I'll tell you now! I'm coming to Hogwarts today! Positively can't wait to see you! Blah, blah, blah... 

Love, Sam! 

Wormtail took the letter and hugged it to his chest. His eyes were wide and he was sniffling. 

"Oh, Remus, that's just beautiful!" 

"Sod off, you prat," Moony grumbled as he grabbed the letter. Wormtail was laughing. 

"Prongs, you got the letter this morning?" Moony asked of me. 

"Yes, I did," I confirmed. 

I felt sympathetic as Moony's shoulders slumped. 

"At least she gave me a warning," Moony muttered as he crumpled the letter and pushed it in his pocket. I tried to smile comfortingly at him. I just didn't really see the reason to be upset. 

"Don't worry about it, Moony, old boy! Things'll be perfect, you'll see. It can't be much worse than if she was to live in the hall across from us. Now that would be something to whinge over." 

I snorted at Padfoot as he said this. He was looking quite frank in his attempts to cheer up Moony. 

"James!" 

My head snapped up as I heard my name. I knew that voice... 

"Now, come on, Lily! Talk to me instead," Padfoot yelled across the table. 

I almost fell out of my seat as she gave him a bright smile and stared at him in that way that was purely Lily. 

"Alright then. Sirius, perhaps you can answer my question. Have you read the tome _Deliquesent Potions_?" 

I tried not to laugh as Sirius' face fell and he physically blanched. 

"Er, 'fraid not. I've read about as much as you play Quidditch." 

Lily narrowed her eyes and then said, "I'm afraid I would take that as an insult under any other circumstance, but I'll let it pass as you're making an analogy which is quite true." 

Padfoot looked sheepish as he shrugged and took a sip of his drink. Lily then looked at me. My breath caught in my throat, she was smiling in that special way... 

"James?" 

"Yes?" 

She then winked at me (Praise, Merlin!) and said in a distinctly false voice, "What did you think of Arrhein's Theory?" 

I grinned, I assume rather smugly, as I answered, "I believe that he's quite correct in his assumptions." 

Lily gave a laugh as she mouthed, "Is that Remus' sister?" 

Although, I didn't quite catch it the first time as I thought she said, "Do you have a blister?" 

I looked puzzled, I'm sure, and shook my head 'no'. Then she looked puzzled. 

She got up and came next to me and said, "Really? I didn't think 'Lupin' was a very common name." 

I was fully turned towards her, and my whole posture screamed 'confused'. 

"What would the last name 'Lupin' have to do with blisters?" I asked her, my face was probably scrunched up. 

"Why would anything have to do with blisters?" she asked me. Then she gasped and covered her mouth. "Unless I have one!" was what she said next, albeit a bit muffled. 

"No! You asked me if I had a blister earlier," I said. I had realized then that it wasn't what she had asked. 

She laughed and uncovered her mouth. "No, I asked if she was Remus' sister!" 

I smacked my head. 

"Oh, of course! Yeah, that's his sister. He's not very happy with her being here, if you can tell." I then gestured to Remus, who looked sullen; Padfoot was throwing peas into his drink, and Peter was making landscapes with his mashed potatoes. 

"You don't remember her?" I asked her as I took a sip of my pumpkin juice. 

"Not really. She was three years ahead of us and not in Gryffindor. Not much for me to remember." 

I chuckled. I noticed Lily look over my shoulder. I turned around and looked, too. Padfoot took a carrot and was making aeroplane sounds as he kept crashing it into Wormtail's mashed potatoes. Then Wormtail would retaliate by throwing peas down Padfoot's front. 

"She was a real stiffler for the rules," I said as I turned back around, not paying attention to them. 

Yet, I couldn't get Lily's attention again. She was too engrossed in Padfoot and Wormtail. 

"Lily?" 

"Are they always this childish?" 

I turned back around, and Padfoot was now prodding Peter's mashed potatoes with his wand, and gravy was shooting out everywhere. 

"No, usually a bit more. So, anyhow, yes, Sam is Remus' sister. I don't know why he's so upset. She's here to stay, so it seems." 

Lily was turned back around towards me and was grinning. 

"C'mon! Let's go do something fun!" 

My mouth dropped open a bit and I put my hand on her forehead. "You all right, there?" 

"Are you scared?" she asked me, a daring grin on her lips. I laughed and then said, "You must forget who I am. So, what would you like to do?" 

"Fly?" 

I raised my eyebrows and skeptically asked her, "Fly?" 

She grinned enigmatically and then shrugged at me. 

"You said you didn't like flying," I told her, still confused and perplexed. Although, that was initially the same thing. 

"No, I said I didn't like Quidditch. Yet, that's only for playing. I don't mind watching." I wonder if she was watching me. Then she continued speaking. "Well? Will you take me flying tonight?" 

Grinning, I stood up and pulled her with me. 

"Of course I want to study, Lily! Whatever gave you the idea I didn't?" I asked her loudly, a grin and a wink directed at her. 

"I've no idea. Perhaps we should go study now," she answered, catching on quite nicely. I knew she was a smart girl. 

I turned around to Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail, and they looked preoccupied, not even paying attention to the show Lily and I just put on. 

"Ladies, Lily and I are going to go study. I'll see you blokes later." 

Remus looked up at me, as if he really was going to be sick. 

"Sure, alright then. Make sure you don't show all the secret passages, there's no point in them being secret if everyone knows about them," Moony said dismally. 

I gave a gasp of disgust. "But, Moony! HOw could you even suggest such things? We're going to be studying!" 

"I believe you, Prongs!" Padfoot said to me. "You're going to be studying the female anatomy." 

Scowling, I levitated a roll and threw it at him. 

"Hey now!" Sirius yelped. "All I'm saying, mate, is that she'd want to study with me. Well, saying that, perhaps I _should_ invite myself with you." 

I glared at him as he laughed. "I'm just messing with you, Jamesie! I know that you asked her to this dance and you're attracted to her." 

Wormtail snorted with laughter as Sirius laughed as well. I was about to hex them as Wormtail cleared his throat and motioned with his eyes to behind me. I turned around and Lily was behind me and was grinning. 

"You ready to go study?" she asked me, her eyes twinkling happily. I heard snickering behind me, so I didn't respond immediately. Well, not before I hexed Padfoot. 

"Absolutely!" I answered, and I linked my arm with hers. 

When we did that, I heard giggling, and I saw Lily's friends all laughing behind their hands and making side-long glances at us. Ignoring them, Lily and I made our way out of the Great Hall. 

"Good thing I have a handsome guide, or I might get lost," said Lily as she smiled at me. 

"You think I'm handsome?" I asked her, the smile on my face wide. 

"Well, of course, James," she answered. "How could I not think you were good-looking?" 

My heart was thumping madly, and there was now an extra bounce in my step. "Wow, thanks, Lily!" 

"Oh, you're very most welcome. Everyone thinks you're fantastic. I mean, you _are_ a great Chaser after all. Sport players are always fanciful." 

I narrowed my eyes at her. She was grinning wickedly. 

"Oh, James, I'm just teasing you. I wouldn't lie to you, would I?" 

"No, I don't suppose you would. You're the saintly Lily, no reason to lie." 

She playfully smacked me on the arm. We were bantering on the way to the Gryffindor Tower, when Peeves zoomed passed us. 

"The potty and the flower! Oooh, are the 'ittle prefects on a datesy?" 

"Peeves, if you don't leave us be, I'll be sure to tell the Bloody Barron," Lily threatened, her face serene. I was impressed as Peeves listened, but before he left, he blew a raspberry at us. 

"He's such a pest," Lily muttered when he left. She was sighing and pulling back her hair with her fingers. 

I chuckled as we reached the portrait hole. I said the password, which was 'Pickles!', and we went in. 

"I'm giong to get my broom, alright?" I told her. 

"Okay," she answered, not looking quite sure what to do with herself. 

"Well, you can come up with me and take Padfoot's broom. He won't be any the wiser." 

I grinned charmingly at her as I let her walk up the stairs ahead of me. We walked into the dorm, everything was messed up, or so I thought. 

"Let me guess which bed is yours. This one." She had pointed to the bed closest to the door, and it had a couple of books around the floor and on the nightstand. It was also the second cleanest in the room. 

"Yeah, how did you know?" I asked as I walked to it. I pulled a broom out of the trunk, as I had started to clean it earlier. The broom, that is. 

"Because of the books. I knew that you read, as well as you being a fairly organised person." 

I grinned cheekily at her and then I remembered I might need my invisibility cloak. I went to retrieve that as well. 

"Can you tell me which one is Sirius'?" I asked her. 

She grinned at me as she walked up to the one with the underkecks haning on the bed post. There was also pastries on the bedstand. 

"Yeah! Again, how did you know?" 

She quirked an eyebrow and said, "The bloomers hainging. It strikes me as a Sirius thing to do." 

I chuckled, and the invisibility cloak was haning off my arm. Lily gave a gasp of surprise. 

"Is that an invisibility cloak? Can-can I touch it?" 

There were dirty thoughts running through my head. I didn't acknowledge them, and instead handed her the cloak. 

I wanted to suck in my breath as Lily tentatively took it from my grasp. She handled it as if it was fragile. If only she knew what that cloak has been through. 

"These are really valuable, you know that? How did you ever come into the possesion of one?" 

I shrugged my shoulders. "My mum's parents gave it to her and she gave it to me. I don't know how my grandparents got it, though. I suppose it was because they were wealthy." 

Lily quirked a brow. I didn't want her to see me blush, so I went to Sirius' trunk and took out his broom. 

"You say that as if you aren't wealthy now." 

"Well, we're fairly well off, but it isn't as if we're as wealthy as the Malfoy's or even the Black's." 

Lily gave a giggle and said, "How did I know that Sirius would be rich?" 

I gave a laugh and handed her the broom. "Come now, we're wasting valuable time. We could be wasting it flying." 

She gave me a grin and we walked down the stairs. She examined the broom in her hand. 

"What kind is this?" she asked me. 

"One of the Shooting Star models. I've got a Silver Arrow." I handed her my broom and she examined it. I could tell she hadn't a clue about brooms. 

"It's very nice. Quite slender. It's actually quite perfect for you." 

I gave her a cheeky grin and a wink. 

"You're only flattering me so you can say to all your friends how you got the star, Gryffindor chaser doting on you." 

She gave me a glare and then said, "Not self-centred or inflated are you?" 

"I have her a quirky grin and said, "Whatever gave you the idea that I, the best-looking male in all of Hogwarts, was self-centred?" 

We were exiting out of the portrait hole now, and she was grinning slightly. "I've no idea, James, none at all." 

Grinning, I put my arm around her shoulders and said, "Let's hurry before everyone else starts to leave the Great Hall." 

She nodded and we hurriedly went to the Quidditch Pitch. 

When we got there, the night was fairly clear and the stars were shining, but the moon wasn't out. I didn't want to risk sending up all of the lights, so I got one to fly by Lily and one to fly by me. 

"Alright, Lily, those lights will stay with us as we fly around." 

Lily nodded absently as she looked at me expectantly. I was perplexed until she grinned sheepishly and held up the broom. 

"I never was any good when it came to flying." 

I laughed as she said this, and I went to her and held out the broom. 

"Alright, well, for one thing, all that 'up' junk they did was for show. You just need to get a feel of the broom. Give me your hand." 

I took her hand and made her hold the middle of the broom. "Now, grasp it firmly and place your right leg over." 

I watched with interest as she put her leg up. She looked at me and then she blushed! 

"I suppose you're not used to me not succeeding," said Lily as she was grinning bashfully. 

"Nonsense! I _am,_ your fellow prefect! I'm quite used to you not succeeding against me all the time." 

Glaring at me, she finally got her leg over the handle. She then held the broom tightly. 

"There's no way you're gong to fly like that!" I said, chuckling. "Lighten your grip and let the broom feel _you_." 

She stared at me and then she loosened her grip and straightened up a bit. 

"There you are!" I then got on my broom, and was hovering next to her. 

"You've got the hang of it, so let's rise a little higher." 

With that, I took myself higher, watching Lily below me. 

"You can't fly if all you do is stay near the ground." 

I wanted to cheer as Lily did start to rise into the air, and was starting to lose the frightened look in her eyes. 

"That's it, Lily! You're doing great!" 

With that vote of confidence, she finally let go of her fears and started to fly. 

Me, being the git that I am, started to show off. 

"Watch me, Lily," I said as I did a roll on my broom. 

"James!" she squealed as she clutched her broom. 

"What?" 

"Don't do that!" 

"This?" I asked as I let go of my broom and then rolled to where I was upside down and I was only hanging on by my legs. 

"James Potter! Stop it, stop it!" she was commanding me. 

Chuckling, I righted myself and stared at her. 

"When we get back on the ground, I'm going to hex you!" 

"Ah, but will you be able to get me back on the ground? I can fly forever." 

She was glaring at me as she leaned down on her broom and started to zoom towards me. 

Surprised, I didn't notice as she pulled my light with her. Not until I was without a light, and the only thing I could see was Lily. 

"How will you fly forever if you can't see? I know you, James. You can't sit still for long." 

Shocked, I was gaping, but also grinning. 

"Wow, I wouldn't expect that from you, Lily. That was underhanded and sneaky!" 

I could see Lily with the two lights, and she was smiling smugly. 

"Well, expect it, Potter, I'm much better than this, I assure you." 

The grin on my face was wicked as I said, "You're going up against the king of the unexpected, m'dear!" 

With that, I held up my wand and said, "Accio orbs!" Lily's face was priceless as I then said, "Nox." 

We were then in darkenss, the only thing now lighting us was the stars. 

"James Potter! I'm _really_ going to hex you when we get on the ground!" 

"Good luck finding the ground, Lily!" I said jovially. She then gave a yell of frustration. 

"Potter, I swear I'm going to hex you!" she growled. 

"Y'know, you're really not that threatening when one can't see the menacing look on your face." 

"Oh, but James, you have no idea how terrifying I can be, seeing me or not." 

I was about to respond when a yell from below got our attention. 

"What are you kids doing?" 

Panicking, I whispered to Lily hurriedly. 

"Put on my invisibility cloak! Summon it to you!" 

I dimly saw her nod as she summoned it and threw it on. 

"But, James, what about you?" 

"Not a big deal, I'm used to this, remember?" 

"Listen, you little delinquents, I'm talking to you!" the person yelled again. 

"Oi! I hear you!" I yelled back. I got the feeling that it was Filch yelling at us. 

"Potter? I know that's you! Get your arse down here!" 

Grinning and tossing a wink in Lily's general directon, I flew down in a dive and then pulled up when I was about fifteen feet from the ground. 

"Yes'ir, Filchy?" 

"Potter! Who was up there with you?" he asked, scanning the sky. I grinned with glee as he scowled and looked back at me. 

"No one, Filchy, you must be seeing things in your old age." 

"Potter! Y-you--!" he started to splutter. 

"Detention?" I asked hopefully. 

"Yes!" he spat out, his face tinged in red rage. 

"Wickedly brilliant," I said loudly. He glared at me and then I looked up to the sky and said happily, "Did you hear that? I got detention!" 

Filch hurriedly looked up but he didn't see anyone. 

"Come on, Potter. To your Head of House, you filthy--" 

"But wonderfully talented person!" I filled in for him. 

Filch looked ready to murder me before he pointed at the castle. I shrugged and then shot the orbs into the air, lighting them. 

"Don't wait up, alright?" I commanded into the sky. 

I started to laugh as Filch was about to have a fit over wondering who I was talking to. Not just that, but that he couldn't get the orbs of light back down. 

Giving a wink to the sky, I trekked back up the castle and to McGonagall's office. 


	11. Conversations

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 10

"Well, Potter, what have you to say for yourself?" McGonagall asked me, her stern gaze directed purely on me.

            "Tonight was a wonderful night for flying!" I answered brightly.  I could've sworn that she wanted to kill me in that precise moment.

            "Really, Potter?  Saturday night seems like a wonderful night for detention."

            "It does, doesn't it, Professor?"

            "Potter," she started in a warning tone.

            "I was only agreeing, Professor," I answered, my eyes bright.  I then flashed a smile, the one I use to get my way.  Yes!  McGonagall's eyes softened!

            "Well, Filch gave you a detention, so you'll be serving it with him."

            I shrugged my shoulders.  Muggle cleaning, as per usual.

            I got up to leave, but before I could, McGonagall called out to me.

            "Oh, and, Potter?"

            "Yes, Professor?"

            "Mr. Black is still in the lead."  There was a smile her face as she said this, and I muttered a couple of obscenities under my breath.

            "Not for long, not for long," I said to her.  I then grinned and made my way back to the common room.

            After I gave the Fat Lady my password and went in, I was immediately assaulted.

            "James!  Are you in trouble?  Should I go turn myself in?" Lily asked me, her bright, green eyes wide and scared.  She was holding the invisibility cloak, and Sirius' broom was lying on the floor.

            "Evans, calm down!  No point in you getting in trouble, you didn't do anything.  Besides, I'm one detention closer to beating Padfoot!" I answered cheerfully.

            She was biting her lip, and clearly Lily didn't believe me.

"Listen, Lily, I've got a detention, but don't fret!  I was merely doing you a favor, so all you have to do is return the favor to me later, all right?"

            Lily still looked uncertain, so I put my arm around her shoulders and said, "But if you really want to turn yourself in, all my work will have been for naught and I'll get in _more_ trouble for lying to a professor!"

            My amazing reverse psychology skills (Or perhaps persuasion skills!) were kicking in as I realized that Lily was seeing my way.

            "Only if you're positive that it's all right.  I'll go if you need me to go."

            I started to chuckle and I said, "Sometimes, you're too nice for your own good.  Nope, I don't need you to turn yourself in, that would make me feel worse, and then I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I made you miserable by making you attend detention."  I smiled charmingly at her (To no effect!) and said coyly, "You _do_ need to take a shower, though.  You smell _awful_!"

            Lily's mouth dropped open, and she was laughing in disbelief.  "James!" She yelled and then she hit me.  "I can't believe you said that!"

            Laughing, I grabbed my cloak and Padfoot's broom.  "I can help you shower if you like!"

            Before she could attack me, I ran up the stairs, listening to a final screech of, "James!"

            I was still grinning when I walked into the dormitory.  Yet, when I went in, I was met with three stares, all having this expression in them.

            "Well, how did that _"studying"_ go?" Wormtail asked nonchalantly.

            Padfoot had his arms crossed, and he was nodding his head.  I mimicked him, and Wormtail cleared his throat.  "Well?"

            "Oh, studying went well," I answered, my face blank.

            "Really?  What did you study about?"  Moony asked.  I turned toward him, and he still looked a bit pale.

            "Y'know, school," I answered vaguely.

            "School?  In what class do we have the subject 'school'?" Moony asked of Padfoot and Wormtail.

            "Oh, you don't know, Moony?" Wormtail asked.  "That's the class you aren't taking.  I guess you wouldn't know, but it's called "Knowing School."  Great class, we have to study about school, eh, Prongs?"

            I grinned as I started to get undressed and into my pyjamas.  I made a non-committed answer.  "Right, that's what I thought," Padfoot then burst out.  I could _hear_ the smile in his voice.

            "What were you two doing on the Quidditch Pitch?" he asked, the excitement in his voice was too much.

            "We were studying school for the class About School.  We had to use your broom, so here you go," I said, tossing the broom to him.  His face was in shock as he quickly inspected it.

            "Knowing school, Prongs," said Wormtail suddenly.

            "What?" I asked confusedly.

            "You said 'About School', the class is 'Knowing School'," he told me, grinning.

            "Oh yeah, that class, too," I answered grinning.

            I then heard a squeak.  "You took my broom?!"

            "Actually," I started, "Lily took your broom.  You should know, that she can not fly."

            The choking noise was exactly what I needed to hear.

            "Padfoot, you git, you know that James and Lily didn't use your broom.  They were doing much more interesting things.  Things you'd be jealous of," said Wormtail, his smirk wide.

            "Shove off," Padfoot answered in return.

            I chuckled a bit and hopped into bed.  I was going to pull the hangings back, but Moony was giving me his _look_, and I sighed and admitted defeat.

            "Moony, you're just a little bitch, you know that?" I told him.  He merely smiled.

            "Okay, mates, so Lily and I decided that we wanted to go flying–"

            "'You', you mean," Wormtail interrupted me, this benign smile on his face.

            "No, you prat, it was actually she who came up with the idea."  I grinned and said, "If you would bloody quit interrupting me, I'd tell you."  I gave them a pointed look.  "Anyhow, we decided to go flying.  She doesn't have a broom, so I got yours, Padfoot.  Then we went to the pitch.  We didn't get to fly much because Filchy caught us.  Well, he caught me to be precise, and I told Lily to hide with my invisibility cloak.  Oh, and Padfoot, I got detention."

When I finished, I crossed my arms smugly.  I almost burst out laughing as Padfoot looked incredulous.

            "No snogging?  If I was alone with Lily, I would hope that she'd want to snog me!"

            I smiled dimly at Padfoot, and I walked to a chart on the wall.  I put another tally by my name. The chart was of our rankings in detention.  I was trying my damnedest to beat Padfoot.  I narrowed my eyes, as it seemed that he had acquired a couple more detentions today.  As for Moony and Wormtail, they were well up there but they didn't try nearly as hard as Padfoot and me.  I believe that we, as a group, held the record for any one year with the most detentions.

            "Only five more, Prongs, and you might be able to beat me," Padfoot said snootily.

            Grinning slightly, I said just as snootily, "So, Padfoot, who are you taking to the dance?"

            Padfoot made a rude gesture with his hands and I made one in return.

            "Will you girls quit bickering so the rest of us can get some rest?" Wormtail demanded of us.  I threw a pillow at him.

            "Thanks, mate.  I do like having two pillows."

            "Okay then," I answered and took Padfoot's pillow.

            "Hey!" he yelled in protest.

            "Hey," said Moony in return.

            "Well, since you offered," said Padfoot as he took Moony's pillow.

            "Ninnies," Moony said as he hit Wormtail on the head and then took both of his pillows.

            "That's the Remus we know and love!" Padfoot yelled happily.

            I was laughing at the look on Wormtail's face.   "Don't look so scandalized," I told him.  "Shove off," he said jovially as he summoned his pillow.  "Night, ladies," Wormtail said as he pulled back his hangings.    "Surely you jest," Padfoot yelled.  "'Tis only the middle of the night!"

            "Padfoot, do shut up.  When you take Arithmancy first hour then you can be as loud as you want, but until then, let's be quiet," was Wormtail's muffled response.

            I laughed and said, "You heard him, Padfoot.  Do shut up."  Before Padfoot could retaliate, I turned off the light and closed my hangings.  "Dammit, Prongs, you bloody cheater," Padfoot vented, laughing.

            "Night, everyone," Moony said.  I grinned sleepily and closed my eyes, not able to give a response.

~**~

            The next couple of days went by quickly.  Defense Against the Dark Arts was something of a memorable experience.  Moony whinged, Sam got agitated, and Padfoot tried his hardest to get Sam's attention.  I truly felt sorry for Moony.  I can now sympathize with him about Sam.  She got _worse_ than before.  I now understand why he doesn't want her here.  She's too damn mothering!

            As for the dance, it was coming up in a couple of weeks, and we had yet to plan an incredible prank.  Sure, we had a couple of little things here and there, but other than that we had nothing at all!

            "Jamesie!  Jamesie!  Jamesie!" Padfoot yelled into my ear.  He was grinning brightly.

            "I just realized something!"

            "Did it hurt?"

            "Shut it, you.  Anyhow, I realized how we could use that room."

            "What room?"

            "Rowena's room.  Y'know, instead of a broom cupboard, and the Astronomy Tower is always occupied.  That could be a room that any of us could use."

            I shook my head.  If that was the only thing that occupied Padfoot's mind, was worried about him.

            "Padfoot," I started tiredly.

            "Y'know, Jamesie, Rowena had that wonderful room, we can't let it go to waste.  It would be…  upsetting her memory!"

            I rolled my eyes.  "Sure, Padfoot, sure."

"Fine!  I'm going to tell someone who appreciates my ingenious ideas.  Moony!" Padfoot then started yelling and was walking away.

            "No, he only humors you!" I yelled to him.

            Laughing silently, I went to the library.  There was usually no one in there, so that gave me a bit of free time.

            When I walked into the library, the librarian glared at me and watched me until I sat down at one of the tables.  I realized that I didn't have a book, so I stood to pick out one.

            "_Muggles Uncovered_ by Benjamin Monesko… " I muttered to myself.  I smiled and pulled the book off the shelf and sat down at the table.

            "Muggles?  What a horrible topic," a voice said at my ear.  I turned around sharply and stared at the person.

            "Hello, James!"

            I started laughing and then I told her to sit down.  "I can't believe you said that, Lily, I was truly surprised!"

            Lily started giggling.  I started to chuckle with her, and then I heard the librarian start to snort and rampage.

            "Oh, Madame Bloomington!" Lily said smiling.  She held out a book, and tilted her head slightly.  "That was an excellent book that you recommended.  I did love it, and it was quite entertaining."

            I stood at her side nodding my head in affirmation, somehow, I apparently read it as well.

            The librarian actually stopped and smiled!

            "Oh, Ms. Evans, I knew you'd like the book.  When we got it in, I just thought of you."

            Lily nodded and smiled happily.  Lily put the book in her hands and she smiled happily.  "I loved it, it was very interesting, and you were so correct.  Thank you, very much for the recommendation."

            I kept nodding, but then the librarian glared at me.  "Keep your voice down, Potter.  No exceptions!"

            I nodded and grinned charmingly at her, the grin I use to get my way.  She nodded slightly and her face softened.  "I'm telling you, Potter, I'll kick you out if you don't abide by the rules."

            "Oh, I understand, Madame Bloomington.  Don't you worry about a thing!  Lily will keep me in line."

            She nodded and she went back to the desk to watch us.  When I was positive that she wasn't going to attack me, I quickly nudged Lily in the side.

            "How did you end up in her good graces?"

            Lily opened her mouth, and then she shut it.  She merely smiled at me and shook her head.

            "What?  What is it you were going to say?"

            "I was going to say something perverse, but I realize that it would be very inappropriate."

            I was intrigued, and I smiled.  "Lily, you don't know anything perverse to say it."

            Lily chuckled and said, "You are absolutely correct.  I don't know anything perverse to say it.  Well, what is it you were reading again?  _Muggles Uncovered_?  I believe that book is very inaccurate."

            She grinned as she walked to the shelf and pulled out a book entitled _Muggles As Is_.  Bringing it to the table, she deposited it in front of me and smiled widely.  "As stupid as they make Muggles sound, I have to say that it is very accurate.  Well, it should be, a Muggle-born wrote it."

            I took the book from her outstretched hand, and I flipped it to the back.  There was a picture of the author.  A smartly dressed witch who was blinking at me and then she winked.

            "Oh, she's a cheeky little thing, isn't she?" Lily said smiling.  "I swear, she'll flirt with anyone with a penis."

            My mouth dropped open and I stared with it agape at Lily.  "Did you just say _penis_?" I whispered incredulously.

            "No," Lily whispered back to me.  "I really said 'anyone who could play tennis'."

            I stared at her, my mouth still hanging open.  She did?  What was tennis?

            "Lily? What's tennis?"

            Sighing, she picked up the book and closed it.  "James, yes, I said 'penis' at first.  As for tennis, it's a Muggle sport played with rackets and a small bouncy ball.  I was never any good at it, so I never made the effort to play."

            I shrugged.  We really hadn't gotten to Muggle sports in Muggle Studies yet.  I picked up the book and opened to the first page.

            _"Muggles are truly fascinating creatures.  As I was one for the first years of my life, I can honestly say that they can truly get along without magic.  They don't want to believe what is right in front of them, and the older they get; the more prone they are to look the other way.  Children are more susceptible to believing in magic, in which their adult counter-parts do not."_

            "I told you she knew what she was talking about.  Although, living in the wizarding world has made the woman biased."

            I merely smiled and put the book down.  I wanted to talk to Lily, not about books, not about Muggles, but something purely Lily and me.  I didn't want to talk about anything that had to involve anyone else.

            "So, are you ready for the dance?"

            She grinned and said, "Of course!  I can't wait; I think that we're going to have the best time together.  Truly, it'll be wonderful."  Leaning in, her smile became wider.  "But, you are going to have to tell me the prank that you four are conducting."

            Leaning in, I got close to her and said, "But that would spoil the surprise."

            She crossed her arms and blew air quickly out of her lips.  She was exasperated, and then she rolled her eyes.  When she looked back at me, she was smiling quirkily.  "Oh, alright then.  If you won't tell me, then I suppose I'll just have to ask Sirius."

            I have a very distinct feeling that Lily knew what she was doing, so I shook my head negatively and grinned yet again. "No matter what you say, you won't be getting it out of me.  If you go to Sirius, then that's his ill-fortune to tell you."

            "Why would it be his ill-fortune?"

            "Well, I'd have to hex him, of course!" I said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  Well, the thing is, it was!

            "Oh, James, you wouldn't do that, would you?"  Lily is staring at me with that look again, the one that says that she's right and I'm wrong, no matter what.

            "I suppose you're right," I told her.  I mentally smacked myself, though, because it just goes to show I fell to her womanly charms.  Although, I don't know why I'm saying that, as I've been held captive by her womanly charms since fourth year.

            "I guess that means you're going to have to tell me the prank, eh, James?" said Lily as she bit her bottom lip and stared at me as if I were the only person in the room.

            "Uh, um, right."  Oh, that was brilliant!  Goodness, I'm a failure.  "I mean, no.  I can't tell you, it would be mightily wrong."

            "Oh, fine then.  I suppose I won't say anything about it again.  Well, James, I must tell you I'm wearing blue robes to the dance.  So if you want to coordinate, then I suppose you know the colour now."

            I nodded slightly.  Blue robes, I had to get blue robes.  Well, I wasn't wearing anything that was going to stand out, so I'll wear navy blue.  Yes, that sounds about right, I'm wearing navy blue.

            "So, Lily," I said, taking the subject off of the dance.  I decided at that moment I was going to do something special for Lily at the dance.  "How are you liking Sam so far?"

            "Don't you mean Professor Lupin?"

            "No, I mean Sam," I answered her, grinning cheekily.

            "It looks as if she knows what she's talking about.  Not just that, she's actually showing us topics that will be necessary for us.  I like the fact that she isn't treating us as if we won't be able to handle it.  I'm very glad that she's showing us counter-spells and what dark creatures there are."

            I nodded.  I hadn't paid any attention, although, I believe that I should have paid attention.  There were so many things about this that we needed to know.  She was going over everything with us, and I mean _everything_ to see what we knew and what we don't.

"Oh, yeah, Sam is doing a superb job," I said half-heartedly.  As much as I used to like Sam, there's something about her now that's annoying.  Now that Remus is older and she's older, she's treating him like some child who'll never grow up.  Like he'll never get to know the experiences of life.  I suppose she really doesn't know Remus any more.  Now I know why he was so apt for her not coming to teach.

            "Sirius seems to like her," Lily said, breaking me out of my reverie.  I jerked my head up to look at her.  I smiled charmingly and I said, "Sirius likes everyone."

            "He's like a dog in heat," Lily said, smiling.  Little did she know how true her words were.

            I was chuckling as she sat back and said, "So, James, you have detention tomorrow.  Are you all right with that?"

            "Sure, Sirius is taking it with me."

            "But, he had detention Wednesday," Lily said, confused.

            "I know, and after this one, he'll have tons more, I'm sure.  He doesn't care, as long as he breaks the record for any one person.  I can't remember who holds it.  I think it's actually Uric the Oddball."

            Lily looked perplexed and then she asked her question.  "How did you ever find out that information?"

            "Oh, well… um, I suppose you've never been into Filch's office, have you?"

            "No, I can honestly say I've not."

            "Well, he has folders of all the students who've been in trouble.  He has a folder dedicated to each of us and by us, I mean Sirius, Peter, Remus, and me specifically, and then he has a folder that has all of us together.  Sirius looked at his folder, and it's nowhere near as large as Uric's folder.  So he's trying to beat him, and I'm trying to beat Sirius.  Although, together, Sirius and I have him beat with the most detentions."

            Lily was really confused now.  "How in the **world** did Filch find out how many Uric the Oddball got in detentions?  Uric is older than _Dumbledore_!"

            I shrugged.  "How am I supposed to know that?  All I know is that Uric is in the lead."

            Lily shook her head at me and said, "Next thing I know, you're going to be telling me about how you've found something from the Founders."

            I'm positive my eyeballs almost fell out of my sockets.  How in Merlin's beard did she figure that one out?  "How did you know that?" I asked her, voicing my confusion.

            "Know what?"  She narrowed her eyes at me and then she said, "You _did_ find something of the Founders, didn't you?"

            "Technically, it was Sirius.  Although, I guess that I shouldn't be telling you this.  Well, I don't see why not, as Sirius wanted to use it for his rascally deeds."

            Lily shook her head at me, but her eyes were glittering.  "Which Founder?  Was it Godric Gryffindor?" Lily asked.  I could tell that she was truly intrigued.

            "No, but it had to do with him.  Slightly… It was Rowena Ravenclaw, actually."

            Lily's eyes widened, and she started smiling brightly.  "Are you serious?  Rowena Ravenclaw?  That is incredible!"

            "Actually I'm not Sirius, but it did have to do with Rowena."  She narrowed her eyes at me and quickly blew air out of her lips.  "Well, are you even going to tell me what you found?"

            "No, I don't think I will.  There's too much heartache in that you confused me with Sirius.  I'm much better looking than him."

            "Oh, James, get over it.  Come now, tell me, what is it that you found?" she asked, her irritation showing through to the way that she was narrowing her eyes at me.

            "Well, we found Rowena's private quarters."

            Lily started laughing.  "Her private quarters?  How in Merlin's name would you have found that?  Those should be blocked off because they're… I don't know!  They're the sleeping quarters of the Founders!"

            I shrugged my shoulders and crossed my arms.  "You don't have to believe me, but it's true.  We also found out how she died."

            Sitting back in her chair, and looking levelly at me Lily said, "Show me."

            I stood up and held out my hand to her.  Grinning, I said, "If you'd like.  We'll have to talk to Moony, he has the letter."

            "Letter?"

            "Oh yes.  Her suicide letter."


	12. Seeing is Believing

**Safety From a Distance**

_Chapter 11_

© PrincessLesse 2003

When I told Lily about Rowena's suicide letter, her mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened and brightened.

"You can't be serious? Rowena Ravenclaw? Taking her very own life? That just doesn't seem possible."

I shrugged, the fact that one of the Founders of Hogwarts killing herself already something that wasn't of that much importance to me. Of course it was horrible, but there was nothing that I could do about it.

"No, I'm being frank with you. She killed herself, and Moony has the suicide letter if you'd like to read it. I believe that he's with his sister at the moment, so we can go get the letter and I'll show you where the room is."

Lily nodded mutely, she didn't seem as if she would be able to form a coherent thought much less a sentence. I smiled at her and patted her on the shoulder. I needed to let her know that I knew exactly what she was talking about. Poor dear.

"Come now, we need to go catch him before he goes off on a tirade. That always happens whenever he talks to Sam, even though he talks to her every day."

I grabbed Lily's hand and I pulled her up and made her walk briskly up to the fifth floor corridor. Sam's office was at the end.

Knocking on the door, I called for Moony. "Remus, you in here?" I asked inquisitively.

"James? Yes, he's in here. You can come in," Sam answered me. I walked in and Lily was following close behind me. She was looking around curiously. I had a feeling that she rarely went into any of the Professors' offices. I wonder what she'd think of Dumbledore's office. She'd probably go insane with all of the junk he keeps in there.

"James?" Remus asked me questioningly. "Is there something that you need?"

"Yes, actually. A letter." I gave him a pointed glance. He looked confused, and then Lily said, "Oh, you know, Remus. The _letter_! It was the one about a _friend_ of mine. I thought she would be great for you. Her name's _Raven_."

I glanced at Lily and almost started chuckling. It seemed as if Lily was emphasizing every other word. Anyhow, Remus seemed to catch what she said, because I saw his face light up.

"Ah, yes. I read that letter from you friend _Raven_. She's quite the intelligent one, I hear. Anyhow, I believe the letter is in the cupboard."

_In the cupboard_ was our codeword for a nook in the wall in the boys' dormitory. We kept our valuables there: The Marauder's Map, various ingenious pranks, and now Rowena's letter. Lily's face was confused, but she smiled and said, "Oh, thanks, Remus!"

I wanted to laugh. Lily could be a prankster yet! Alas, before we could leave, Sam interrupted us.

"Wait, you have a friend that would be interested in Remus?" Sam asked, clearly confused. I could tell in her voice she was thinking about Remus' _ailment_.

Lily tilted her head and bit her lip. I could tell she was getting nervous. "Yes, I believe I know someone who would be perfect for Remus. He's a charming person, that he is." Lily cast a glance in Remus' direction and gave him a wink. He grinned at her, but he was pale underneath the calm façade.

Sam looked disapprovingly at Lily. "She couldn't possibly know about—"

"Oh, that doesn't matter!" I said, jumping in before Sam could finish. Lily didn't know about Moony's _ailment_ and it wasn't for my place, or Sam's, to tell her. Remus looked at me with wide eyes, his face now an unhealthy shade of white.

Apparently, Lily could sense the tension in the situation and she jerked on my arm. "Oh, well, Professor Lupin, I believe that James and I have to get somewhere. Thank you, Professor, for letting James and I borrow Remus for a moment. Oh, and don't worry about my friend and Remus, I'm positive they're perfect for each other. Well, we bid you adieu."

Lily tugged on my arm and we both left Sam's office. Before we were out of hearing range, we heard Remus yell at Sam.

"I can't BELIEVE you almost told her! God damn it, Sam!"

I hurried Lily along as we left the corridor. I beamed at her as we made our way to Gryffindor Tower. When we got the portrait of the Fat Lady and gave her our password (Go Go Gryffindor!) we walked up to the boys' dormitory.

"Lily, could you wait outside a moment, it won't take but just a second."

She smiled at me and leaned against the wall. "Go on ahead, James, I don't mind waiting."

I smiled at her and hurried into the room. I grabbed the stone and shimmied it out. I retrieved the letter and the Marauder's Map. I grabbed my invisibility cloak and I walked back to where Lily was standing. She was smiling and she stood up straighter. Her yes were shining, and I noticed her fingers were flexing. She was just _quaking_ to read that letter. Oh well, I suppose that I'll be nice today and let her read it.

"Here you go, m'dear." I handed her the letter and I walked down the stairs. I was letting her read as we went.

I was silent as we continued down the corridors, finally getting to the second floor corridor. I was amused by the fact that every so often, Lily had given a gasp of surprise, muttered, and then reread the part she was reading. I could tell by the way she bit her lip and how she was narrowing her eyes that she was rereading a certain part several times.

"Knut for your thoughts, dear?" I asked her, trying to lighten the mood. She glanced up at me and smiled. Her face was pale, though, and her freckles stood out in stark contrast.

"James, sorry I doubted you before. I truly didn't want to think that a mentor of mine would've diminished herself to suicide. Yet, I suppose that suicide was a noble way out of life back in the day. I know that it's a noble way out in Japan, or so they think."

I smiled as Lily was just spouting out information now. I grinned as we stood under the second chandelier on the second floor corridor. I gave her a wink as I grabbed her arm and I pulled her through the wall. I heard her gasp before we emerged to the other side.

"James! Wow, how—how did you guys find this?"

I gave her a wink and covered my mouth. "That is a secret, and I can't let anyone know… or I'd have to kill you."

Lily gave me a mocking look as she said, "Yes, I'd like to see you try and kill me. You wouldn't get an Unforgivable Curse past your lips!"

I chuckled as I went to the fireplace and lit it. I suppose that now I had sent Rowena my blessings, wherever she may be, I could at least light the fire in the room.

"Wow," I heard Lily breathe once she actually saw the room. I nodded my appreciation as well as I finally got to see the room in its entire splendor. It was ornate in it's decorations, yet the Ravenclaw colours being the prominent theme.

"This was Rowena Ravenclaw's room," I heard Lily whisper to no one in particular. She was gaping, and I had to suppress a chuckle at her slack-jawed amazement.

"James, this is where Rowena spent the last minutes of her life. In this very room. I wonder who found her."

I shrugged and then I held up my wand high enough to cast a spell. "I believe that I want to clean this room. The dust is getting to me."

"NO!" Lily yelled at me. I looked at her confusedly as she blushed and then said, "What I mean is, no. We shouldn't disturb the room… it would be disrespecting her memory."

I raised my eyebrows at her and I decided to do something I never do with Lily. I argued.

"How exactly would it be disrespecting her memory? She's not going to come to from the afterlife to yell at us about cleaning the dust. I bet that she was the immaculate sort, anyhow. She'd probably want this place to be clean."

Lily narrowed her eyes at me. I'm surmising that she's not used to someone actually arguing with her when she so clearly thought she was correct. I mean she usually has this look that says she's right, even though she may not be. She's used it on plenty of the professors; I know that look anyhow. She was looking at me that way at this very moment.

"Lily, I know I'm right on this. Just trust me."

She sighed and then grinned, a sign of her compliance. "Alright, fine then, James. You can cast the cleaning spell, but if you don't get it right the first time, I'm warrant to make fun of you."

I mock-saluted as I grinned at her. "No problem."

Raising my wand I said, "_Pulvis_ _Enucleo_!"

Lily raised an appreciative brow as the dust cleared. I grinned wickedly as Lily breathed in deeply and then exhaled. She gave me one of her smiles… the ones that I live for.

"Wow, James, I didn't know you could perform a cleaning spell."

I chuckled sarcastically at her as I stated, "Remember my part of the dormitory."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, James, sure. Anyhow… oh my gosh! Wow, look at those books. They're probably all filled with things that could be useful to us. That is incredible."

I nodded carelessly. I couldn't form coherent thoughts at the moment. I wish someone could see how wonderful Lily looked right now. Her hair is hanging down her back, she has her hands on her hips, and she has this smudge of dust on her nose. I guess I did miss a spot.

"…This is just spectacular, don't you think, James?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah. It's great! I told you it would be. Didn't even believe me." I was smiling, but my heart wasn't in it now. I didn't feel like talking about this room. I wanted to know more about her. I don't know what I could learn, but I have a feeling that it would be spectacular. Spectacular. Like she said… it's just spectacular.

"James, you're not even paying attention to me."

I started to chuckle as Lily was blowing air exasperatedly out of her lips. She was also giving me that look, the one she uses that makes people feel as if they are the most important beings in the world. Oh, how I wish Lily knew she was that important. To anyone. She never understood how deeply I appreciated her. I don't think she ever will.

"James! Snap out of it, dear. I think this enclosed space is getting to you. Come on, let's get going. I'm hungry."

I nodded and I extinguished the fire as I grabbed Lily and made her get a move on. "Geez, Lily, you're so slow."

"Don't think I won't hex you, James, because you know I will."

"I know, I know, but what's the point of hexing me if you keep warning me?"

"I don't know. Well, come on."

Lily and I walked out of Rowena's room in compatible silence. I never realized that I would be too scared to make a move on a girl before. I just, I just think that Lily's quite different from all of the other girls I've known or dated. Yes, different indeed.

"Well, Potter, Black, do you two know why you are here?"

"Is it because you love us so much?"

"No, _Black_, that isn't the reason."

"Are you sure, Filchy, because I could've sworn that was the reason. Jamesie, don't you think that's the reason?"

"Nah. I think it's because that he's a masochist. Addicted to pain, Filchy?" I asked him. I almost started laughing loudly as he puffed up and his cheeks got red.

"Filchy? A masochist?" Padfoot asked me. He grinned as he gave me a wink as he said, "Well, it does make sense, doesn't it? It would make sense that he keeps those chains down in his office, doesn't it?"

Padfoot and I started to crack up as we realized that Filchy was sputtering and he was trying to form a coherent retort. I could tell that Padfoot was about to say something else before we were interrupted.

"Argus, I believe that I can take the boys from here. Thank you."

Padfoot and I turned around and Dumbledore greeted us. He was smiling in that way that infuriated some people. It was that way that meant that nothing could _possibly_ go wrong. I grinned as he twinkled at me.

"Yes, Professor," Filch muttered to Dumbledore. I started chuckling as he said that he thought it'd be better if he could "shackle those damn hoodlums". Hoodlums? Who uses that word anyway? Damn duffer.

Before I could say anything to Dumbledore, Padfoot beat me to saying anything at all. "You're in charge of our detention, Professor?"

"Why, yes, I suppose I am in charge of your detention. To get started, why don't you two take a walk with me out to the grounds? I'm also quite surprised that it's only you two in detention. You'd think with all these students there would be more trouble-makers."

"There are, but we're the only two worthy enough of going to Filch," I told him, grinning as I took long strides to walk up. I was lagging behind.

Chuckling, Dumbledore opened the doors and walked out of the castle, Padfoot and I trailing behind. Finally, we caught up to him as he stopped at the lake. Realizing that Dumbledore was staring at something, I turned to see, too. The Giant Squid was propelling as it waved its tentacles in the air.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, I realized that you two and some _others_ have found something quite important in one of your, ah, expeditions."

I straightened my back quickly as I gave Sirius a quick, pondering look. He himself looked like his eyes were about to pop out.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Professor!" Sirius said rather convincingly. He was using the _eyes_ and he was grinning that grin that even worked with McGonagall. Too bad he didn't have that look that Lily had. That would've been horrible, if Sirius was to have all those powers. He'd be invincible.

"Of course, Mr. Black, that's what I thought. Anyhow, if you, hypothetically, did happen to stumble upon something important, I'd be wont to know." Dumbledore paused after this, and he was still turned towards the Giant Squid. Sirius and I shared a look, and he raised his eyebrow, and I raised both of mine, and then we started contorting our faces until he nodded. I don't know what that accomplished.

"Okay, sir, so if we _hypothetically_ found something of importance, you'd like to know."

"Yes, I would, Mr. Black. If you were to find something hypothetically, of course."

"Well, hypothetically speaking, then, I believe that there might be a room of importance on the second floor corridor. A few paces in front of that Helga Hufflepuff statue and under the second chandelier."

I was watching Dumbledore's profile now. He was still staring at the water, but I could tell that he was perturbed by the way his stance had changed from what it was before.

"Hypothetically," Sirius added in after a moment. I grinned as Padfoot started to scratch his head in thought. His hair wasn't in a ponytail, and he was looking at it with fascination. Geez, he got bored easily.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Black, hypothetically. Thank you for your thoughts. I believe that I've been looking for that room for some time now."

I was amazed that Dumbledore didn't know everything. It wasn't something that I was accustomed to. I was staring at Dumbledore and Padfoot, them both taking up my attention. Then I realized that Dumbledore knew that we went on our nightly outings. I felt my face go red. I was a Prefect, and that behaviour wasn't acceptable.

"I will over look the fact that you hypothetically knew where this room was located. I assume it was just an accident."

I almost started laughing. The finding of the room was by accident. Anyhow, since I knew that Dumbledore knew, I managed to voice my question.

"Professor, she stabbed herself?"

"Ah. Yes, I'm afraid she did. She couldn't bear the pain. Anyhow, Salazar and Godric both had found her body. As sad as that sounds, that caused more of a rift between them and it was never the same after that."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I didn't know why that bothered me so much, but it did.

"I thought that Godric and Salazar both had left, though."

"They had, Mr. Potter, and Godric left to go find Salazar and bring him back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore paused after this and he finally turned around to stare at Sirius and myself. Sirius was staring at Dumbledore in awe. I then asked another question.

"Sir, how is it you know all of this?"

"Ah, Mr. Potter, we Headmasters pass on information about Hogwarts to our successors. We add the information we've learned to each new generation."

I nodded, supposing that made sense, but was all of an answer that I was going to get. I grinned and shrugged.

"Well, if I had seen her room, I suppose it would've been fantastic."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and put a hand on both Sirius' and my shoulder. "Yes, I suppose if the room was real, it would've been a grand room indeed."

"Oh yes, and clean as well."

Dumbledore chuckled as he started leading us back up to the castle. "Your detention will end early tonight, boys. I think that detentions are starting to be tiresome for you two."

Sirius reacted rather violently to that information. "_No!_ Of course they aren't! They are doing great things!"

"Mr. Black, just because they are putting you ahead of one Uric Beaufolle's detention record doesn't mean you should like them."

"Oh, but I _abhor_ them!" Padfoot told Dumbledore brightly. I chuckled and grinned. Sirius was bound and determined to beat the record. Then, before he knew it, I would beat him for most detentions in a term! Yes, I'm underhanded, so what?

"Well, gentlemen, I believe that it's getting rather late. The hot chocolate is calling my name."

"Does it say, "Dumbledore, Dumbledore, come drink me!"' Padfoot asked in a falsetto, a frank look upon his face.

Dumbledore grinned and said matter-of-factly, "Why yes, it does!"

I smiled as I nodded at Professor Dumbledore at the entrance. "Don't be too harsh on the hot chocolate, Professor. Sirius and I will go back to Gryffindor Tower now. Goodnight, Professor."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he nodded and smiled merrily. "Goodnight, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black."

* * *

I don't know if that is actually Uric the Oddball's last name, but I got it from Ariana Deralte's fics about Uric the Oddball. Check them out! They are superb.


	13. Perfect Contentment

Standard disclaimers apply; no copyright infringement is intended.  All recognized here is forevermore J. K. Rowling's. Characters or scenes not recognized are mine.  By the by, this story is pre-OotP, so there are inconsistencies to canon.  Sadly, I won't fix them because it wouldn't contribute to my story.  Not that it could make it any worse, but hey—this is fanfic.

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 12

©PrincessLesse 2003

            "Jamesie?  Jamesie?  Wake up, sleepy head!"

            I opened one eye slowly and stared at Padfoot.  His visage was so blurry that I couldn't see any features.  I could tell by his voice that he was grinning loudly.  How on earth anyone could grin loudly was beyond me, but Padfoot seemed to be able to accomplish this little feat.  I wasn't sure there was anything he _couldn't_ do.  Damn Padfoot and all of his abilities.  You know, in the morning the mind is quite stupid.  It's still trying to wake up, or perhaps fall asleep?  I don't know.

            "Jamesie, I know how much you must love me sitting here, with your little _tendencies_, but really!  I have to get going, and I couldn't possibly let you sleep in on a wonderful Sunday morning such as this!  Why, it's only 7:00!"

            "One day, Padfoot, you'll be the death of me."

            "Oh, James… that's the sweetest thing you've ever told me.  Do you promise?"

            I opened both eyes and glared at him.  "I award you no points for stupidity.  Ten points from Gryff…"

            "Ah yes, Prongsy, of course.  You have to be careful now, since you are allowed to deduct points."  Sirius was sitting on my stomach, and his arms were crossed.  I'm surprised I didn't suffocate in my sleep.  It seems that this was the aim that Padfoot was going for.  He's definitely trying to kill me; I know it.

            "James!  Get your lazy arse out of this bed!"

            "Padfoot, I can't because you're sitting on top of me.  How in Merlin's Beard am I to get up if you won't remove your fat bum?"

            "I know that you didn't just say that!  My bum is not fat!"  Padfoot turned his head and looked at his backside.  I sighed.  I hope the rest of my morning doesn't continue like this.

            "Look, just because you're grumpy in the morning, you don't have to take it out on me!"

            "Padfoot!  What are—"

            "Don't worry you're pretty little heart about it, Jamesie.  Believe me, I understand."

            At this, I watched as Padfoot stood up and walked towards the door.  Yet, before he left, he turned around and grinned at me.  He then threw a wink in my direction.  "I believe a certain someone is waiting in the Great Hall for you.  If you don't hurry, I'm going to have to make sure she knows that she has more than one option."

            My mouth dropped open and then Padfoot winked at me again.  "See you, Prongsy."

            I jumped out of bed, and I started to pull on my pants.  Then I smelled myself.  "Ugh, James, you smell like cottage cheese," I told myself.  I sighed and took off my pants and threw them on my bed.  It probably wouldn't be good to wear those, because they probably smelled as well.  I don't believe I'll be able to do anything right today.

            I started to take off my boxers when I realized it might be better if I brought a towel with me before I started stripping.  No telling when Padfoot might come back and try to surprise me.

            Walking into the shower and turning it on, the steam immediately started to fill the room.  I grinned as I stepped into the shower.  It took no time at all before I was out and running a hand through my hair.  I tried to flatten it, but the mirror just "tsked!"

            "You're fighting a losing battle, dear."

            "You're telling me.  Do you know how many hair products I've tried using on this hair?"

            "Actually, yes I do," my reflection replied.  I quirked my eyebrow which prompted my reflection to roll its eyes.  "I was there the whole time!"

            "Ah, that would explain it.  Well, do you have any suggestions?"

            "Spikes are nice, dear."

            "But, do you think _Lily_ will like them."

            "How should I know?  I'm not Lily."

            I frowned at my reflection. He was a bit of a wanker.

            "No, I don't suppose you are Lily."

            "There you are, dear.  Now I believe that you can see that you're hair is hopeless."

            I nodded and then I grinned.  "In that case!"  I started to run my hands through my hair, making it more flyaway than it already was.  I winked at my reflection and then walked into the dormitory.  I started rummaging around my trunk.  I finally settled on a shirt and a simple pair of slacks.  No point in wearing the school uniform.  I then pulled out my robes and pulled them over my head.  I checked my reflection one last time, ("Stunning!") and I hurried down the stairs.  When I finally made it to the Great Hall, I saw Lily sitting with her friends, chatting and gossiping, no doubt.

            "Good morning, ladies."

            "Good morning, James," Savannah responded to me once I sat down beside Lily.

            "You know, I believe that there is somewhere we have to be, don't we, Lucy?"

            "What?  Oh!  Yeah, yeah, there's somewhere we have to—er—go!  We'll be seeing you, Lily!"

            "Yes," Savannah said again.  "We'll be seeing you.  Bye, James."

            I grinned at her and waved as she and Lucy started to walk quickly out of the Great Hall.  I turned towards Lily, who was grinning affectionately, but a look of annoyance was on her face.

            "Lily?"

            "Good morning, James.  Toast?"

            "Ah, yes please," I answered her confusedly.  I stared at her and poured myself a goblet of pumpkin juice in the process.  She was distractedly putting marmalade and butter on my toast.  I smiled at the act; butterflies were flying in my stomach at the moment.

            "Two pieces?"

            "Sure."

            We sat in silence as Lily was still buttering my toast.  I then thought about what I just said.  Peter probably would've loved that one.  Buttering my toast.  I have to admit, that was a fairly good one.

            I was snapped out of my daze when a plate was put in front of me.  I glanced at it, then at Lily.  She was eating a bagel with cream cheese.

            "So, James, what is it that you think you're going to be doing this morning?"

            "Well, I was hoping that perhaps—"

            "Jamesie!  Look at you!  You're up earlier than noon?  What's gotten into you?  Oh, look!  Hi there, Lily!"

            I started to groan as I saw that Peter was smiling at Lily.  He sat down by me and pulled my plate of toast from me.  I glared at him as he took a bite.  He then proceeded to drink from my goblet.

            "Anything else you need there, Peter?"

            He looked at me, and then he grinned, his cheeks full from the bread.  "Ah, 'orry a'out 'at, 'Ames!" Peter told me, his mouth full.

            "It's okay, Wormtail.  What is it that you plan on doing this morning?"

            It took a moment for him to answer because he had to swallow.

            "Actually, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to—uh… never mind.  You know, we can do that another time.  It can wait."  He grinned at me and then he turned to Lily.  "Lily!  How are you on this lovely morning?"

            "Oh, I'm fine, Peter.  How are you?"

            "I'm spiffing!  Say, you wouldn't mind if you could help me with some Charms work in a bit, could you?"

            I almost started to growl at Peter.  I could see his devious little mind working; he was carefully avoiding my gaze.  I swiftly turned to look at Lily, who was biting her lip and looked at a loss for words.  I finally caught her eye, and I shook my head negative.  She still looked so indecisive, that I had to help her.

            "Actually, Pete, we're doing something today."

            I watched as Wormtail turned around to look at me.  The grin on his face was devious.  I _know_ that he is up to something!

            "Really?  James, you wouldn't do that to a mate in need, would you?  Deprive me of the best tutor I've had in ages?"

            I narrowed my eyes at him.  "I resent that!  I tutored you Friday night!"

            "Ah, you did, didn't you?  Well, you stunk at it!"

            I was about to retaliate when Lily spoke up for me.  "Come now, Peter, you know that James couldn't possibly be that bad.  He couldn't have faked some of the things that came out of his mouth."  I grinned and nodded.  "He didn't have enough time to take the ideas from someone else."

            I quickly stopped grinning and sent a glare in Lily's direction.  She merely smiled at me, as she seemed to have come to a decision.  "Yes, Peter, sorry, James and I are going to be doing something today, so no can do on the tutoring.  Perhaps another time?"

            Peter quirked his eyebrow and grinned charmingly at me as he spoke to Lily.  "No problem, Lily, I understand completely.  I—oh, what was I going to say?  Oh, yes, I believe that you should spend some time outdoors, it's a lovely morning."

            I glared at Peter.  Something was definitely not in my control, not with how everyone seemed to be acting in such a weird fashion.

            "We'll have to do that," I told Peter as I stood up and stretched.  When I did this, I made a rather violent head motion for Peter to leave.  He must've apparently got the hint, because he stood and bowed to Lily.

            "Oh, dearest, I must be off now.  Ciao!"

            I sat back down then, my shoulders hunching over the table.  Lily glanced at me before she smiled slightly.  She had buttered another piece of toast for me.

            "I believe that all of your friends are acting loony.  This morning, Sirius came to sit down at the table, proclaiming his love for me.  Then he said that he couldn't love me, because he'd be a traitor, and he then went on to proclaim that he'd rather rot in Azkaban than to be a traitor."

            I grinned at the news, but inside I was in turmoil.  Apparently Sirius really did still like Lily.  I wouldn't think he would've actually kept up the crush for so long, but that's Sirius for you.  You never know anything about him, except that he's fiercely loyal.  I suppose that's my only constant in Sirius, he'll always be loyal to us—his friends.

            "Now, Peter went all batty on us, as well.  He's in here raving about how I'm such a wonderful tutor.  I don't know where he's getting off on that, because he didn't pay one lick of attention when I was tutoring him last week."

            I nodded absentmindedly to Lily.  She was staring thoughtfully out into space, ranting about my friends.  It amused me, because she wasn't noticing that what was there of Gryffindor table was watching her rant.

            "The only person who hasn't done anything out of the norm is Remus, but the way that you three are acting makes me wonder if perhaps it's Remus who is actually doing something odd.  I don't know, it's too much for me to think about."

            I watched as Lily finally crashed back down into herself, because she blushed when she realized that everyone had quit eating to listen to what she was saying.

            "Oh, just continue with what you were doing.  I was merely ranting!  Right, James?"

            "Hmm, oh right.  Yes, she was merely ranting about my best mates, nothing to worry about."  I turned to Lily, who flushed again once she registered what I said.

            "Oh, James, I didn't mean to rant about your friends.  It was my mouth running too quickly away from my brain.  You're more than welcome to bash me, if you wish."

            I laughed as I pulled Lily out of her seat and out of the Great Hall.  "You've got your cloak?"

            "Yes," she asked me uncertainly.

            At that, I grabbed her arm and pulled her outside.  I breathed in the air as I tried to decide what I wanted to do.  I then tugged on Lily's arm as I said, "Want to go to the lake?"

            She grinned; her cheeks were rosy from the cold.  "Sure.  You think the Giant Squid is awake?"

            I shrugged.  "I'm not sure, but he should be."  I kept walking amiably to the lake, grinning like a fool as I kept thinking about Lily, whom was walking right beside me in perfect contentment.  At least, I assumed it was perfect contentment.

            "What are you thinking about, Lily?"

            "Oh, girl things, I suppose.  I'm not trying to think about reality, because that isn't the kind of thing that I like to think about on Sunday mornings such as this.  Anyhow, I'm thinking about the upcoming dance—I personally can't wait.  Hallowe`en is one of the better times of the year."

            I looked at Lily while she was prattling off about the upcoming ball.  I was ready for it, mostly for the fact that Lily was going with me.  I did enjoy such good fortune, especially when I could rub it in Padfoot's face.  Not that I'd do such a thing, but the fact that I could.  Yes, it's all about power.  Not that I want any, of course.  Oh!  Whom am I arguing with?  Myself?  I'm a bit off my rocker if that's the case.

            "James, did you used to dress up for Hallowe`en?"  

            It took a moment for the question to register in my brain, but I finally ground out an answer.  "Oh, yes, I did.  I always dressed up as a pirate, one of the types with the patches and the stubbly.  I even wore a bandana."  I quirked an eyebrow at Lily and then asked, "What did you dress up as?"

            "Oh.  Believe it or not, I dressed up as an Enchantress a couple times.  Just as good as a witch, I had thought, except prettier.  My sister refused to let me be a witch because she said that I would have to wear an ugly green mask with this horridly long nose with warts all over them."  I watched Lily shudder at the memory.  "I, of course, agreed whole-heartedly, because what is a younger sibling to do other than agree with the one person to whom you look up?"

            I nodded at Lily and I felt her pain at the memory.  A happy pain, I believe it was.  She was smiling, but there was the fact that it didn't light up her whole face.  I tried to comfort her the best way I knew how:  I grabbed her hand.  It didn't cease to amaze me when she squeezed my hand in return.

            "What did your sister dress up as?"

            "A princess.  Every time, too."

            I snorted and grinned at Lily.  She had showed me a couple of pictures of her family.  Her sister was no princess—but I suppose it was because she was no Lily, either.

            "You said you dressed up a couple of times as an Enchantress, so what else did you dress up as?"

            "I never varied in my range of selections.  I was always dreaming, thinking about things that a normal child wouldn't really think of.  So, if it wasn't something that had incredible magical powers, I dressed up as a vampire.  This really great vampire that had teased hair and blood everywhere."  I grinned fondly as Lily giggled childishly at the thought of her in her costumes.  "My mum's got pictures.  She's even got this picture of me when I was dressed up as a faery and not to mention this one embarrassing time when I actually did vary."

            This comment piqued my interest, so I stared at her until she finally looked at me.  She bit her lip and smiled.  "Oh, okay.  Well, I wore a wig and dressed up like Audrey Hepburn.  I thought the woman was gorgeous, not to mention all the old films my mum had of her."

            I looked at Lily confusedly.  Who was this Audrey Hepburn?  Was she important in Lily's life?  Lily also said that they had films of her.  Well, I've seen films before—in Muggle Studies.  Lily must've noticed my confused look because she started to laugh nervously and then answered my silent question.  "Audrey Hepburn is an actress.  A lovely actress who is most certainly beautiful in whatever she wore or—or anything!"

            I laughed for a moment before I quieted down.  I wasn't too dumb; I knew how easily girls could get their feelings hurt.  They were a bit irrational sometimes, but don't let me catch myself saying that out loud.

            "Oh, don't worry about that actress—I'm sure that she may be beautiful, but she couldn't be as stunning as you."

            Lily glared at me, and I merely grinned.

            "Flattery will get you nowhere, James Potter."

            "I suppose it won't, but how about he truth?  I'm serious!  You are very stunning!  You have this sparkling personality that draws in the worst and best of men."

            Lily raised her eyebrow at me, and I smiled charmingly.  "Besides, I'm sure you've noticed Sirius' advancements.  He's been trying to catch your attention for as long as I—"

            I was about to say, "As long as I have!" but I stopped myself before I could say something with such idiocy.  I'm sure that that statement would've shattered any semblance to a friendship we were forming.  So I finished off lamely.  The testament sounded weak to my own ears.

            "As long as I've known him."

            I let out a breath when Lily didn't comment, but smiled instead.  She was looking at me in that way that made me seem important, and I forgot about Padfoot for a moment.

            "Yes, well, I'm a special girl, and it takes a special guy to make me realize something that supposedly isn't there."

            "Oh, and what's that supposed to mean?" I asked her.

            Lily grinned at me and shrugged.  She was still holding my hand.

            "Come now, you can't tease me and then leave me without an answer!"

            Lily was still grinning, but it lost some of the sparkle that it held before.  "Well, I suppose that it could have to do with the fact that I don't give much foundation to love."

            I stopped for a moment and stared at Lily for a moment.  "What?" I asked eloquently.

            Lily just grinned at me, a sad grin, like she hated to come face to face with reality.  "I just don't believe in love."


	14. Tonight is the Night

**Safety From a Distance**

Chapter 13

© PrincessLesse 2004

Thank you, all of you, for your reviews. They mean so much to me. _Merci_ _beaucoup_!

_

* * *

_

_"I just don't believe in love."_

Those words were playing over and over in my head. She didn't believe in love? Merlin's beard! How could she not believe in love?

"Lily," I stuttered. "What—why?"

Lily smiled at me as she stared out at the lake. The Giant Squid was propelling, and the early morning sunlight was shining off the water.

"Well, my sister and I used to be so close and yet now we aren't. I used to think that she loved me and now I know that she doesn't. It's—it's complicated. I mean, I know that's something that I suppose I shouldn't be worrying about, but it is. So many of my friends' parents have gotten divorces, and my parents fight all the time."

Lily paused and took a deep breath. I smiled sadly at her as I grabbed her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Not to mention now. People—teenagers—toss around their love. How is that supposed to mean something when they can proclaim their love to one who isn't worthy? Like what Sirius did to me this morning. Sirius doesn't know me, how on earth could he even say he loved me? Like love at first sight. That doesn't exist, it's attraction at first sight—his pheromones are attracted to her pheromones."

I started chuckling a bit at what she was saying. It was a cynical tone that I couldn't decide whether or not I liked.

"I suppose I'm boring you, but it's just something that I've thought about for a while. Something in which I spend my free time doing."

I gave her a reassuring grin. I decided that I liked the cynical and thoughtful Lily, too.

"Oh well, it can't be helped if you're given that to work with, you know?" I asked her, my tone light.

"Besides, we're all entitled to our own thoughts. In fact, I'm a bit unconventional in my thoughts. Sometimes I wonder if I'm in love with love or even the idea. I know that my mum taught me things like that. That I should enjoy what life gives me, and I should respect the greatest gift that anyone could give me."

Lily looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I smiled at her. "Love. Love was the greatest gift anyone could give me, or so says my mum. She's a very smart woman, mind you, and I'm inclined to believe what she tells me."

Lily laughed at me as we kept walking, the end of the lake looming in the distance.

"Yes, I suppose that could be a great gift," Lily said to me after a moment. I grinned as we continued our trek to the end of the lake and back to the castle.

The next week flew by quickly, and then before I knew it, the dance was here upon us. I had spent as much time with Lily as I could and I tried balancing that with spending time with my best mates.

"Jamesie, have you figured out what you wanted us to do for the dance?" Padfoot asked me as he hung lazily over the armchair. I shrugged.

"What do you have in mind, Padfoot?"

"Eh, well I was thinking about something with the punch. Not horribly inventive but a good opening to a good prank."

I nodded and grinned at the thought. "How about we do one up on the punch. Ah, how about every sixth person to drink it will have the effects of the punch."

I pondered the thought. All it would take would be a charm that we learned last year.

"Yes, that's fine and dandy, but what will the effects be? Shall we turn them into something or shall we have them _do_ something. I'm opting for the latter, like having them snog the person next to them. Imagine how entertaining that shall be!" Padfoot said, his eyes gleaming with the thoughts of a girl snogging him. I, too, grinned at the thought. Lily turning to me and then snogging me senseless. Ah…a boy can dream.

"I don't think we should do that. Someone unfortunate could end up snogging Snivellus. There isn't anyone I despise that much, Padfoot," I told him, my reasonable side whacking me on my head.

Padfoot grinned at me and then sighed. "Yes, well, it would've been entertaining to watch. Perhaps we shall do that come St. Valentine's Day."

I snorted and then winked at him. "Well, in hopes that I won't need a silly charm for Valentine's Day."

Padfoot laughed at me and then looked across the dormitory. Moony was sitting on his bed, making charts of some sort. I scratched my chin; I didn't think we had Astronomy homework.

"Oi, Moony!" Padfoot said after a beat. "What are you up to?"

Moony looked up and tossed a wink in our general direction. "I have the solution to your punch theory. I believe something mild to gradually pull us into our bigger prank. Every sixth person who drinks the punch will burp bubbles, and the only way to get rid of it will be to compliment one of us."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, fishing for compliments are we?"

"You damn right," Moony said, his teeth glinting in the light. I smiled for a moment before I sat down next to him.

"What are you looking at?" I asked him, my eyes roaming over the charts.

"It's the seating charts and whatnot. I stole them from you—as you had them from the last Prefect meeting."

"I didn't go to the last Prefect meeting," I told him, my forehead scrunched up in confusion.

"You didn't, but Lily did and she told me to give them to you. I obliged—so here they are. Ah, what you should know is that the Head Table will be placed in a different area, and there won't be the long tables for the respective houses, but there will be smaller tables for couples and whatnot."

I studied the chart and gave Moony a hard pat on the back. "That's my boy, now all we need to do is get the house elves' cooperation. I'm sure they will—they help us every year."

Padfoot grinned but he started and fell to the floor when Wormtail came barging into the room. I was barely sustaining my laughter when Padfoot jumped up and tackled Wormtail.

"Children," Moony said fondly as he returned to the chart. I was too busy watching as Padfoot attempted to put Wormtail in a headlock. I was just starting to put dibs on Wormtail sweeping Padfoot's legs from under him when Moony got my attention.

"What else are we going to do? We're weak as of now, Prongs," Moony said after his quiet contemplation.

"We're going to… well, I'm not quite sure what we're going to do as our Grande Finalé. Oh, I know I want to glue every odd table's plates, goblets, and utensils to the table. Yes, that's what I want to do."

I watched quietly as Moony nodded and then looked at Wormtail, who was sitting on top of Padfoot, who was struggling valiantly.

"What do you think, Wormtail, you're fairly creative. I'm sure you could think of something extraordinary," Moony asked him.

"I think—"

"You don't think!" Padfoot interjected. "Not until I'm finished with you, damn it!"

I smirked at the antics of my disillusioned, child-like friend. I feel for him sometimes, I don't believe he realizes how he is. Oh well, not my loss is it?

"Wait! Wormtail, what is it that you had in mind?" Moony asked of him.

"Well, if this big oaf would leave me alone I might be able to tell you." Wormtail shot Padfoot an accusing glare. Padfoot complied by leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Alright, I believe we should do the tried and true suit of armor trick. I like that one. It always makes me laugh whenever it'll tell an off-the-wall joke."

Moony stroked his chin in contemplation and looked at me for approval. I shrugged my shoulders, I had to agree with Wormtail, the suit of armor things always made me chuckle.

"That sounds good to me, Wormtail, but I want something extravagant for our big prank. Padfoot, any suggestions?"

"Fireworks!" Funnily enough, that was an immediate reply from him.

Moony tapped his chin in thought, and he started scribbling hurriedly on a piece of parchment.

"I believe we could work fireworks in as the main thing. What do you think, Prongs?"

I fell back on my bed, my legs hanging limply over the sides. "I could definitely work in fireworks. That'll be simple enough. All we have to do is make some homemade ones. Those'll be the best."

Padfoot looked at me and grinned. "Ah, the good things that we come up with. Halloween this year shall be fun."

I nodded happily and stared at the ceiling as I thought about what all we could do with the fireworks.

"Well, this may seem a bit fruity, but I think that once the fireworks go off black glitter should fall but disappear before it could hit the food. I'd hate for the food to be ruined."

Padfoot looked at me and grinned. "You're damn right that was fruity. Glitter indeed! Ah well, I suppose we can work in your little poncey ideas."

I threw a pillow at him and grinned happily to Moony. "This'll be the best Halloween ever! Don't you doubt it!"

The night of the dance was quickly upon us, and I was quite scared as I stared at my reflection. Sirius was standing behind me, primping more than a girl. His hair was tied back with a ribbon in a loose ponytail, but a lot of the strands were hanging down his face. I glared at his reflection as I thought about how lucky Sirius was for being able to pull off being effeminate yet manly at once. Damn him, it's not fair.

"What are you brooding about, Prongsy?" Padfoot asked me as he stared at me in mirror. I shrugged, running a hand through my hair.

"Jamesie, calm down. You're so worried over nothing. You're going to have a wonderful time with Lily tonight, and I won't let you ruin it. In fact, I won't let anyone ruin it, including myself."

I smiled at him, truly thankful for having a best mate like Sirius. "Ah, don't worry about it, I'm sure that tonight will be great. The only things we're to worry about are those blasted pranks. I just hope that everything will turn out as they're supposed to turn out."

Padfoot patted me hard on the back, his grin wide. "You worry too much, James. You know that we've got this down. Your fireworks idea will be good and all that rubbish, and it won't ruin the food, you ponce."

I threw a lazy punch at Sirius' shoulder, and he merely grinned wider in return. "Ah, I knew you loved me. Those little love taps gave it away, Prongsy. Anyhow, blue suits you, although my robes definitely look better than yours. Look at these stunning things!"

I rolled my eyes as I shuffled out of the bathroom, trying to flatten my hair in the process.

Wormtail was flailing around the room, his robes hanging off his shoulders while Moony was sitting on the bed and staring at the wall.

"Moony, what's the matter with you?" I asked him as I looked for socks.

"Oh, nothing in particular. Sam is going to be at the little shindig tonight, and I don't want to see her. She's going to be hovering over my shoulder and she's going to bother me, and then she might even tell Shana why it would be stupid for her to even be on a date with me. How on earth could she be going to a dance with a werewolf!"

"Moony, you know how I don't like you pitying yourself like that. So shut the hell up."

"I'm not! I'm upset with my _sister_ because she is an imbecile. You would think that she'd realize that I'm not an invalid, I know how to deal with my problems and I know how to deal with the people around me. If she doesn't realize that, then I'm inclined to bash her over the head a few dozen times. Damn her."

"Moony, you have anger management problems. Yet, I can see where you're coming from with this; therefore, I have deigned to help you, my lowly subject!"

Moony narrowed his eyes at me as she growled unintelligible things under his breath. Poor Moony, he's so distraught with Sam, as she had been bugging him every since she got here. That's why I had a special prank just for her.

"Don't you worry about it, Moony ol' pal, Prongs here is going to take care of it."

"Not without Padfoot you're not. I believe that we both shall take care of it. No worries, mate, we've got Sam under control."

Sirius threw a wink in Moony's direction as Moony merely shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms. "I don't know whether or not to strangle you or thank you."

"You're only allowed to strangle us if we bungle this up. Like I said, I'll take care of you. Eh, Wormtail, you too?" I asked Peter as he leaned against the door.

"I've already got an idea. We keep her locked in a closet until we think up something better than that."

Sirius laughed as he threw an arm around Remus' shoulder. "Don't worry, we've got everything taken care of. In fact, I'll use Jamesie's invisibility cloak and we can get Sam under wraps. The only thing you've to worry about is making sure that dish Shana has a grand time."

"Padfoot, I hate you. But I love you as well, so thanks very much."

Moony stood up, stretched, and looked down at his charcoal gray robes.

"I look smashing."

"That you do, Moony, but you don't look as incredible as I do," Sirius said as he looked at himself in the mirror. His reflection smirked and threw Sirius a wink.

"Damn, I'm hot. Who can resist me—green is definitely my colour."

"You're a damn ponce, you know that don't you?" I asked Sirius in jest. Yet, I was supremely jealous underneath. There would be no way that I would look half as good as Sirius did. He carried himself with much more confidence than I could.

"Ah, Jamesie, you look debonair as well! And good Petey over here, in his dashing purple robes looks stunning! We—all of us—look good enough to eat. Now, as we are rather late for our ladies, it's time to go and make sure that our pranks are secure as well as functioning properly. James, you did see that they were in the right spot."

"What do you take me for? A duffer? Of course they are, you twit! I got everything!"

I smirked smugly as I exited the dormitory. The others were following behind me. I was happy; tonight would be a wonderful night. As I walked down the stairs, I felt my breath snag in my chest as Lily looked at me.

Smiling shyly, she waved a gloved hand at me as she tilted her head.

"Hi, James. I know this is unorthodox, as I'm supposed to meet you in the Great Hall, but as we're in the same House and Year, not to mention that we're Prefects, I decided that I'm allowed to be unorthodox."

I promptly closed my mouth and swallowed hard. Lily wore ice blue robes that clung to her—oh did they cling to her! And her hair was piled elegantly atop her head, as her whole body seemed to sparkle. For me. She was pretty for me. Oh, she looks positively gorgeous. Wow… Jesus, she's beautiful. She'll always forever be beautiful, this one night will never leave me. Lily's perfect.

"Good afternoon, Lily," I told her after a moment's hesitation. She finally grinned out right as she took my extended hand.

"James, we're going to have a fantastic time tonight, okay? Just make sure that the pranks don't involve us."

I smiled indulgently at her. "The pranks always involve me, Lily."

She laughed as she rested a hand at my elbow and arched an eyebrow at Sirius, who was gaping behind us.

"Yes, I suppose they'll involve you, too, Sirius."

I watched as Sirius composed himself with much more grace than I. Then he smiled at me, and smiled at Lily in a kind-hearted way.

"Of course, and I must say that the two of you make the most handsome couple. Come now, gents, let's leave Jamesie and Lilykins to themselves. We've our own dates to woo."

I laughed as Sirius gave me a thumbs-up sign and scrambled neatly out of the portrait hole, followed by Wormtail and Moony.

"You look wonderful, Lily. I mean it, you look absolutely beautiful."

"Oh, James, flattery will get you everywhere."

I grinned as I gave into impulse and kissed Lily on the forehead. "I don't want to get everywhere. I'm fine right where I am."

Lily's eyes were rounded as her mouth was shaped into an 'o' of surprise. She then smiled softly as she placed a kiss upon my cheek. "Oh, James, you're perfect. Don't change, okay. Come on, we're going to be late to the dance if we don't get a move on."

I nodded numbly as I lifted a hand to my cheek. Lily just kissed me. Oh, I have a feeling tonight is going to be wonderful!


End file.
